Sapphire-throated
Common name: Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
Scientfic name: Chrysuronia coeruleogularis
Clades: Trochilini - Emeralds
A radiant gem of the Neotropics, the Blue-throated Sapphire inhabits forest edges, gardens, and open woodlands from southern Central America to northwestern South America. Measuring 9 to 10 cm in length and weighing approximately 3.5 to 4.5 grams, it is admired for its vivid hues and lively flight.
Male Description:
The male boasts a brilliant sapphire-blue throat that gleams with iridescence in direct light. His head and upperparts are a metallic green, and his underparts transition into a clean white belly. His tail is blue with greenish tones, and his bill is straight, black, and slender—perfect for nectar foraging. His vibrant throat patch is his standout feature, especially during courtship.
Female Description:
The female lacks the male’s intense blue throat, presenting instead a pale grayish-white underside and a more subdued green upper body. Her tail features bluish central feathers with white tips on the outer ones, adding contrast in flight. Though not as flashy as the male, her appearance remains delicately elegant.
Habitat & Behavior:
This species frequents lowland and foothill habitats, including gardens and forest edges, where it actively feeds on nectar and hunts small insects. Adaptable and wide-ranging, the Blue-throated Sapphire is not currently threatened but still benefits from healthy, flower-rich environments.
3 subspecies:
C. c. coeruleogularis
Distribution Pacific slope of W Panama from Chiriquí to Canal Zone; recently recorded in extreme S Costa Rica, near Panama border.C. c. confinis
Distribution E Panama (mainly Caribbean slope of Darién) and adjacent NW Colombia.C. c. coelina
Distribution N Colombia from N Chocó through Ciénaga Grande to Santa Marta.
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