Amethyst-throated mountaingem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem |
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Lampornis
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amethystinus
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The Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis amethystinus) is a beautiful type of hummingbird. You can find these tiny birds in countries like Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. It's also sometimes called the Amethyst-throated Hummingbird.
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Different Kinds of Mountain-gems
Just like there are different breeds of dogs, there are different types of the Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem. Scientists call these different types "subspecies." There are five known subspecies of this hummingbird:
- L. a. amethystinus
- L. a. margaritae
- L. a. circumventris
- L. a. salvini
- L. a. nobilis
What Do They Look Like?
The Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem is a small bird, about 11.5 to 12.5 centimeters (4.5 to 5 inches) long. Males are a bit heavier than females. Both male and female birds have a straight, black beak that is medium-sized. They also have dark patches near their ears and a white stripe behind each eye. Their tail is slightly forked.
Male birds of the most common type have a dark green head and back. Their lower back is a bronze color. Their tail is black with gray tips on the outer feathers. The most striking feature is their bright, rosy pink throat, which is called a "gorget." Their chest and belly are dusky gray.
Female birds look very similar to the males. The main difference is that females have a cinnamon-colored throat instead of a pink one. Young birds look like females, but young males might have a few pink feathers starting to show on their throat.
One subspecies, L. a. margaritae, looks quite different. Both males and females of this type are much darker overall. The male's throat is a beautiful violet to royal blue, not the reddish-pink seen in other types. Scientists are still studying if this might be a separate species entirely!
Where Do They Live?
These hummingbirds live in different parts of Mexico and Central America.
- The L. a. amethystinus subspecies lives in central and eastern Mexico.
- L. a. margaritae is found in southwestern Mexico.
- L. a. circumventris lives in a specific mountain range in southwestern Oaxaca, Mexico.
- L. a. salvini can be found from southern Mexico down through Guatemala into El Salvador.
- L. a. nobilis makes its home in Honduras.
These birds like to live inside and on the edges of mountain forests. They prefer forests with evergreen trees and pine-oak trees. In Mexico, they live at high elevations, from about 900 to 3000 meters (about 3,000 to 9,800 feet) above sea level.
How Do They Behave?
Moving Around
Scientists are still learning about how much these hummingbirds move. It's not fully known if they travel long distances or stay in one area.
What Do They Eat?
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gems mostly eat nectar from many different kinds of flowers. They often feed in the lower and middle parts of the forest. They use a method called "trap-lining." This means they fly along a regular path, visiting a circuit of flowers for nectar. They don't usually defend a specific patch of flowers. They also eat insects, which gives them important protein. These hummingbirds are usually stronger than smaller hummingbirds but will give way to larger ones.
How Do They Raise Their Young?
These hummingbirds usually don't defend a specific area, but sometimes they will. Male birds try to attract females in the mornings and evenings. They perform a special aerial dance if a female is nearby. The male flies in circles, dives towards the female, and then returns to his perch. He might repeat this dance up to five times!
The female builds the nest all by herself. It's a deep cup made of plant fibers, held together with spider silk. She decorates the outside with moss and lichen. The nest is usually placed on a drooping branch, about 1.4 to 2.4 meters (about 4.5 to 8 feet) off the ground. We don't know exactly how long the eggs take to hatch or how long the young birds stay in the nest.
What Sounds Do They Make?
The song of the Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem is a quiet chatter. It starts with a two-syllable sound, followed by many different notes. Both male and female birds sing. They also make a buzzing sound when they are feeding. Males have a special call for defending their territory, which is a series of short, fast clicking sounds. They also make a display call, which is a series of 7 to 10 shrill whistle notes.
How Are They Doing?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says that the Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem is a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. However, scientists don't know exactly how many of these birds there are, and they believe the number might be going down. There aren't any major threats identified for them. Human activities like cutting down forests can affect them locally, but overall, it doesn't have a big direct impact in the short term.
