Long-billed Starthroat

Scientific name: Heliomaster longirostris

The Long-billed Starthroat is a large, elegant starthroat hummingbird of lowland and foothill forests from southern Mexico to western Amazonia and Brazil. An estimated 500,000–4,999,999 mature individuals exist, the population is decreasing, it is considered non-migratory, and it is currently listed as Least Concern with three recognized subspecies.

At a Glance

• Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)

• Clades: Lampornithini – Mountain Gems

• Genus group: Heliomaster — long-billed “starthroats” with bold gorgets and white tail spotting (4 species total)

• Range: Southern Mexico through Central America to Panama, then in South America from Colombia south and east through much of Amazonia into eastern Peru, eastern Bolivia, and central and northeastern Brazil, also on Trinidad and in the Guianas.

• Habitat: Humid and semi-humid semi-open landscapes including edges of evergreen and semi-deciduous forest, gallery forest, second growth, isolated woodland patches, pastures with trees, plantations, and gardens; generally avoids dense forest interior.

• Elevation: Mostly from sea level to about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in lowlands and foothills.

• Length: About 11–12 cm (4.3–4.7 in).

• Weight: About 5.5–7.1 g (0.19–0.25 oz) in males, around 6.5 g (0.23 oz) in females.

• Number of mature individuals: 500,000–4,999,999

• Population trend: Decreasing

• Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Name Origin
The genus name Heliomaster combines Greek roots for “sun” and “master,” reflecting the way these birds’ gorgets blaze when struck by sunlight high in the canopy. The species name longirostris means “long-billed,” referring to its notably long, nearly straight bill. The English name “Long-billed Starthroat” emphasizes both its elongated bill and the “star-like” throat patch typical of starthroats.

Subspecies & Distribution
Three subspecies:

• Heliomaster longirostris pallidiceps
  Distribution: Southern Mexico to Nicaragua, including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. This northern form inhabits edges of tropical lowland forests, second growth, and tree-lined clearings and fields.

• Heliomaster longirostris longirostris (nominate)
  Distribution: Costa Rica through Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Trinidad, and across Amazonian South America south to eastern Peru and eastern Bolivia and east through much of Brazil. It is the most widespread form, using forest edges, gallery forest, secondary woodland, and semi-open habitats throughout this range.

• Heliomaster longirostris albicrissa
  Distribution: Western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. This subspecies is very similar to the nominate but has whiter undertail coverts; it occupies forest edge, clearings, and semi-open habitats on the Pacific slope and adjacent lowlands.

Legend
Green Resident

Species Overview
The Long-billed Starthroat is a canopy- and edge-loving hummingbird that favors forest borders, gaps, and semi-open country rather than shaded interior forest. Its long bill allows it to exploit large, deep flowers on tall trees and bananas, making it an important pollinator for some canopy plants. Though generally uncommon to fairly common and adaptable to a degree of habitat disturbance, ongoing deforestation and land-use change across its extensive range are contributing to a gradual population decline.

Male Description
Adult males have a long, almost straight black bill and a small white spot behind the eye. The crown is shining bluish to greenish-blue, contrasting with bronzy-green upperparts. The chin is black, and the gorget is a dark metallic purple patch on the throat, sharply set off from the gray breast. The breast is gray with bronzy-green sides, and the lower breast and belly are dull white with gray undertail coverts edged whitish. The tail is moderately short, the feathers bronzy green near the body and black toward the tips, with the outer pairs showing white tips, giving a squared, white-tipped look in flight. In the field, males appear as long-billed, big hummingbirds with a bluish crown, purple “starthroat,” white eye-spot, and a dark tail with white tips.

Female Description
Adult females are very similar in structure and pattern, with the same long bill and white spot behind the eye. The crown’s blue color is much reduced or absent, and the gorget is narrower and dusky gray rather than metallic purple. The upperparts are bronzy green; the underparts are gray on the breast with a whitish central stripe down the belly, often less contrasting than in males. The tail is similar, short and squared with white-tipped outer feathers, but overall coloration is duller. Females thus present as long-billed, bronze-green hummingbirds with a pale gray underside and a dark, white-tipped tail, lacking the strong purple gorget of the male.

Habitat & Behavior
Long-billed Starthroats inhabit humid and semi-humid semi-open habitats: edges and clearings of evergreen forest, gallery forest, secondary woodland, and tree-dotted pastures and plantations, as well as large gardens with flowering trees. They forage mostly high in the subcanopy and canopy, visiting long, tubular flowers on trees, vines, bananas, and heliconias, and also take small insects by hawking from exposed perches. Birds are often solitary or loosely associated, and males may defend especially rich flowering trees. The species is generally considered resident across its range, with only local seasonal movements following flowering and rainfall.

Population
With an estimated 500,000–4,999,999 mature individuals, the Long-billed Starthroat remains relatively numerous across its broad distribution. It is typically uncommon to fairly common locally, concentrating where flowering trees are abundant along forest edges and in semi-open landscapes. Its avoidance of dense forest interior but use of edges and secondary habitats offers some resilience, yet ongoing deforestation, fragmentation, and agricultural intensification are thought to be causing a slow, overall decline.

Conservation
The Long-billed Starthroat is listed as Least Concern because of its large population size, very wide range, and ability to persist in a variety of semi-open habitats. However, the decreasing trend reflects the cumulative impacts of forest loss, degradation of gallery forests, and conversion of mixed landscapes to intensive agriculture or urban areas. Conserving forest edges, riparian corridors, secondary woodland, and tree- and shrub-rich agricultural mosaics, and maintaining flowering trees and vines in rural and peri-urban areas, will help sustain this species and many other starthroats and large hummingbirds.

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Below is the Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris pallidiceps)

Photographed at Atoyac de Álvarez, Guerrero, Mexico

These individuals belong to the subspecies pallidiceps, found from southern Mexico to Nicaragua. Compared to other subspecies, pallidiceps has a paler crown and slightly reduced gorget iridescence. It occupies humid forest edge and clearings in low to mid elevations.

Below is the Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris longirostris)

Photographed at Yerette Home of the Hummingbird, Tunapuna-Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago

These individuals belong to the nominate subspecies longirostris, which occurs from Costa Rica east through northern South America and into Trinidad. This form shows a bright blue-green crown and broad violet gorget, with more saturated color compared to northern populations.

Below is the Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris longirostris)

Photographed at Hummingbirds Tayrona, Magdalena, Colombia

These individuals belong to the nominate subspecies longirostris, which occurs from Costa Rica east through northern South America and into Trinidad. This form shows a bright blue-green crown and broad violet gorget, with more saturated color compared to northern populations.

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Related species in the Heliomaster genus (4 species total):

Please note: The content provided in this article reflects Anthony’s personal experience and photographic approach. Results can vary depending on light, weather, location, equipment, subject behavior, and field conditions.