White-throated mountaingem
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Lampornis
Species:
L. castaneoventris
Binomial name
Lampornis castaneoventris
(Gould, 1851)
Synonyms

Lampornis castaneoventris castaneoventris (Gould, 1851)

The white-throated mountaingem or white-throated mountain-gem (Lampornis castaneoventris) is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy and systematics

The white-throated mountaingem is treated as a species by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW). However, the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society and the Clements taxonomy treat it and the grey-tailed mountaingem (Lampornis cinereicauda) as subspecies of what they call the white-throated mountain-gem.[3][4][6][7]

Description

Male
Female

The grey-tailed mountaingem is about 12 cm (4.7 in) long and weighs about 5 to 6 g (0.18 to 0.21 oz). It has a medium-length straight black bill, dark cheeks, and a white stripe behind the eye. Males have mostly dark bronzy green upperparts with an emerald green crown and a black to bluish black tail. Their chin and throat are white, the sides of the neck and upper breast bright green, and the lower breast and vent area dark gray. Females have entirely bright green upperparts. Their central tail feathers are dark metallic to bronze green and the outer ones paler. Their throat and belly are dark rufous and the undertail coverts are gray with white or buff edges.[8]

Distribution and habitat

The white-throated mountaingem is found only in the mountains of western Panama's Chiriquí Province. It inhabits the interior, edges, and shrubby clearings of oak forest and also gardens in communities near the forest. In elevation it ranges from 1,500 m (4,900 ft) up to timberline.[8]

Behavior

Movement

The white-throated mountaingem is a year-round resident.[8]

Feeding

The white-throated mountaingem feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants. Males typically feed at epiphytes in the forest interior while females more often feed in shrubby areas. Males are territorial, defending flower patches. They are dominant over smaller hummingbirds and subordinate to larger ones like the fiery-throated hummingbird (Panterpe insignis). The species also feeds on small arthropods gleaned from foliage.[8]

Breeding

The white-throated mountaingem's breeding season spans from October to April. Its nest is a cup of fine fibers with moss and some lichen on the outside. The incubation length and time to fledging are not known.[8]

Vocalization

The white-throated mountaingem makes high pitched calls described as "ziit or ziip" and also "a 'sputtery, bubbly' song".[8]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the white-throated mountaingem as being of Least Concern, though it has a small range and its population size and trend are unknown.[1] It is considered common. However, "this hummingbird is potentially threatened by human activities" such as deforestation for timber and agriculture.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "White-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis castaneoventris". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2016: e.T22725795A94902462. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725795A94902462.en. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.1. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  4. 1 2 HBW and BirdLife International (2020) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 5. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v5_Dec20.zip [.xls zipped 1 MB] retrieved 27 May 2021
  5. ↑ Juárez, Roselvy (2020). "White-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis castaneoventris), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.wtmgem1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
  6. ↑ "Check-list of North and Middle American Birds". American Ornithological Society. June 29, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  7. ↑ Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ Retrieved August 25, 2021
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Juárez-Jovel, R. C. (2020). White-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis castaneoventris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.wtmgem1.01 retrieved 26 May 2022

Further reading

  • Stiles, F. Gary & Skutch, Alexander F. (1990): A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
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