Blue-throated Starfrontlet

Colombia

Jul 17

Blue-throated Starfrontlet (Coeligena helianthea)

Name Origin:
The genus name Coeligena derives from the Latin coelum meaning “heaven” and -gena meaning “born of,” translating to “born of heaven.” The species name helianthea comes from Greek roots helios (“sun”) and antheia (“flower”), meaning “sun-flower,” likely alluding to the bird’s brilliant iridescence when seen in sunlight.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 11–13 cm (4.3–5.1 in)
⚖️ Weight: 6.5–7.5 g (0.23–0.26 oz)
🌎 Range: Eastern Andes of Colombia and extreme western Venezuela
🧭 Elevation: 1,700–3,400 m (5,580–11,150 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forest, forest edges, and shrubby páramo transition zones
🧬 Clade: Heliantheini "Brilliants" (mid- to high-elevation hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Subspecies & Distribution

1. Coeligena helianthea helianthea
Distribution: Found in the Eastern Andes of Colombia, from Boyacá and Cundinamarca south to Huila, mainly on the east slope.

2. Coeligena helianthea tamai
Distribution: Occurs in the Andes of western Venezuela, specifically in Táchira, extending slightly into northeastern Colombia.

Species Overview

The Blue-throated Starfrontlet is one of the Andean region’s most stunning hummingbirds, recognized by its glowing sapphire throat and elegant bronze-green plumage. It inhabits humid montane forests, often near forest edges, clearings, and shrubby slopes, where it forages actively among flowering shrubs.

Male Description:
The male has shimmering green-bronze upperparts, a brilliant blue-violet throat (gorget), and dark blue-green underparts. The forehead and crown show golden-green highlights, and the tail is bronze with a violet gloss. The bill is long, straight, and black. When displaying, males fan the tail and flash their sapphire gorget in sunlight.

Female Description:
The female is less iridescent, with bronzy-green upperparts, paler grayish underparts mottled with green, and a slightly shorter tail with pale tips. Her throat often shows faint bluish or greenish reflections but lacks the male’s vivid sapphire.

Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits humid Andean forests, forest borders, and páramo transition zones. It feeds mainly on nectar from Fuchsia, Bomarea, Clusia, and Palicourea, occasionally taking small arthropods. It is territorial, often defending flowering shrubs or feeding perches with aerial chases and sharp trills. The Blue-throated Starfrontlet perches upright and confidently, frequently returning to favored feeding sites.

Conservation Note:
The Blue-throated Starfrontlet is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains fairly common throughout its range. However, deforestation and habitat degradation in the Eastern Andes continue to threaten local populations. Conservation of montane forest and páramo mosaics is critical to sustaining this radiant Andean jewel and other Heliantheini specialists.

Below is the Blue-throated Starfrontlet (Coeligena helianthea helianthea)

Photographed at the Hummingbird Observatory and Reserva Bosque Guajira, Cundinamarca, Colombia

These individuals belong to the nominate subspecies helianthea, which occurs along the Eastern Andes of Colombia, from Boyacá and Cundinamarca south into Santander. It inhabits humid montane forest, cloud forest edge, and shrubby slopes between 2,000 and 3,400 meters.