Beautiful Hummingbird

Mexico

Jul 17

Beautiful Hummingbird (Calothorax pulcher)

Name Origin:
The genus name Calothorax derives from the Greek kalos (“beautiful”) and thorax (“breast” or “chest”), referring to the shimmering gorgets characteristic of this genus. The species name pulcher is Latin for “beautiful,” directly describing the bird’s striking plumage — making its name essentially mean “beautiful breast.”

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 8–9 cm (3.1–3.5 in)
⚖️ Weight: 2–3 g (0.07–0.11 oz)
🌎 Range: Endemic to western Mexico — from southern Sonora and Sinaloa to northern Nayarit
🧭 Elevation: 100–1,800 m (330–5,900 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Arid scrub, dry forest, canyons, and thorny vegetation
🧬 Clade: Mellisugini — “Bees” (Bee Hummingbirds tribe)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic species — no recognized subspecies.

Distribution: Restricted to arid regions of western Mexico, from southern Sonora and Sinaloa south to northern Nayarit. Some populations are seasonal, moving locally in response to flowering cycles.

Species Overview

The Beautiful Hummingbird lives up to its name—an exquisite desert jewel shimmering in shades of emerald, violet, and rose. Endemic to Mexico’s dry Pacific slopes, it is often seen darting among agaves, ocotillos, and flowering shrubs in sunlit canyons and thorn forests.

Male Description:
The male is unmistakable, with vivid green upperparts, a glittering magenta-violet gorget extending down the chest, and white underparts that contrast sharply with the colorful throat. The tail is deeply forked and dark with purplish sheen, and the bill is straight, slender, and black. When hovering, the gorget catches sunlight in dazzling flashes of rose and violet.

Female Description:
The female is more subdued, with green upperparts, grayish underparts, and a pale buffy throat with scattered iridescent spots. Her tail is shorter, less forked, and tipped with white. She is active and territorial, often defending flowering patches from other small hummingbirds.

Habitat & Behavior:
Inhabiting arid scrublands and dry tropical forest, the Beautiful Hummingbird feeds primarily on nectar from desert plants such as Agave, Ipomoea, and Heliotropium, as well as small insects caught mid-air. It often perches low on exposed branches, scanning for intruders or new flower sources. Males perform quick shuttle displays during courtship, flashing their gorgets in rhythmic bursts.

Conservation Note:
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Beautiful Hummingbird remains locally common within suitable dry habitats. However, habitat degradation and agricultural expansion in Mexico’s Pacific lowlands may pose localized threats. Protection of dry forest corridors and native flowering shrubs is essential to ensure the long-term survival of this vibrant endemic species.

only the female was photographed