Blue-throated Starfrontlet

About the Blue-throated Starfrontlet

The blue-throated starfrontlet (Coeligena helianthea) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela. The blue-throated starfrontlet and most other members of genus Coeligena were at one time placed in genus Helianthea but have been in their current placement since the mid-1900s. It has two subspecies, the nominate C. h. helianthea and C. h. tamai.

The blue-throated starfrontlet is about 13 cm (5.1 in) long. Males weigh between 7.1 and 7.6 g (0.25 and 0.27 oz) and females 6 to 6.5 g (0.21 to 0.23 oz). Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill and white spot behind the eye. Both have bronzy black forked tails but the female's is less indented than the male's. In poor light the species may appear all dark. However, males of the nominate subspecies have a black head with a dark green forehead. Their upperparts are dark glossed with emerald green while the lower back and rump are dark blue with some violet. They have a dark iridescent violet throat, a dark gray breast with and emerald green sheen, and a rosy belly, vent area, and undertail coverts. Nominate... Wikipedia →