Blue-Throated Hummingbird

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Picture

Blue-Throated Hummingbird

A Blue-Throated Hummingbird is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Below are some tips to help you identify Blue-Throated Hummingbirds. We have also put together a list of fun Blue-throated Hummingbird t-shirts, Blue-Throated Hummingbird bird patches, birdhouses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers, and other fun bird-watching items.

About Blue-Throated Hummingbirds

Also known as the Blue-throated Mountain Gem, the small bird gets its name from its physical appearance. The males have a distinct blue coloring that runs down their throats. Despite it being one of the largest hummingbirds in the Mandrean Sky Islands in Southeastern Arizona, western Texas, and Mexico, it can still beat its wings about 23 times per second while hovering.

Description and Identification

This hummingbird can be sighted commonly in Mexico’s mountain woodlands in summers and you
also can capture them in south-east Arizona in winters. The blue-throated humming is quite
different from other hummingbirds in appearance. Their upper side of the body is faded dark green
whereas their lower half is grayish. There are white narrow streaks on its face specifically located at
the back of the eye and around the nook of the bill surrounding a black cheek patch.
 
Moreover, their tail wings are blue-black colored along the edges of a few 2-3 pairs of wide white
stripes on the outer parts of the wings. Also, these birds range from 11.5 to 12.5 centimeters in
height and weigh approximately 6 to 10 grams. The adult male and female birds have distinct
features, the male bird possesses an impressive blue throat and the female doesn’t; instead, they
have a gray throat.
 
An interesting aspect of female hummingbirds is they are very much alike to the magnificent
hummingbird. The young hummingbirds are similar to the adult female however their feathers are
buffed on prominent parts of their features especially around the crown.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Appearance

The adult male bears the distinct blue marking with a white stripe below the eye and another one just behind the eye. The adult female has two white facial stripes and a gray belly. They also bear white stripes at the tips of their tails which appear to flash during flight. The younger birds resemble the adult female but have fluffier feathers.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Size

Male: 11-12 cm, 8.6 g, 3.1-inch wingspan

Female: 11-12 cm, 8.1 g, 2.3-inch wingspan

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Food

The birds are primarily nectar feeders but also feed on insects they capture in flight or from the ground. During winter, the birds feed on wells dug by sapsuckers to act as a substitute for nectar.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Habitat

These species of hummingbirds mainly reside around shrubby areas, pine-oak woods, coniferous
forests, open woodlands. Although they probably may have habitat inside caves or even buildings.
Furthermore, this particular hummingbird prefers open woodlands the most, and in-migration
the season they flock around open gardens and flowers as well.

The birds are mostly found in shrubby areas and woodlands.

They mostly live and breed in high areas such as mountains but move to lower grounds during winter.

Range and Migration

The popular Blue-throated Hummingbird is generally spotted near water. They are a permanent
inhabitant of their natural range in Mexico’s mountains and canyons where they stay during
summers. The hummingbird inclines towards pine-oak forests yet they appear in open regions as
well. In regards to their breeding season, they move to more high and elevated areas namely
mountains such as South of New Mexico, Southern Arizona, as well as Western Texas. They
accordingly migrate downwards in the time of winter. Also amid the migration seasons, this
Hummingbird goes over to flowers in places such as expanses and gardens.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Behavior and Life

The male blue-throated hummingbird has two distinct songs: a quiet whisper and a general “peep” song. It sings to attract females and the females also sing and take constant flights to attract males.

The males only take part in the actual copulation then thereafter leave the female and do not raise the young ones in any way. The female lays two white eggs and 6-7 days after hatching, the young ones leave the nest.

If the female lays more eggs, it builds a new nest on top of the old one.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Nesting

The way of nesting this Hummingbird is a bit different than your everyday hummingbirds. The male
plays no part in the nesting process and the female is completely responsible for creating a cup-
shaped nest covered by green moss. The female also binds the outskirts of her nest with fibers of
materials like animal hair and parts of soft plants. The core of the nest is strengthened by spider
webs and stick items available, giving the nest elasticity for more room when the young ones grow
up. These hummingbirds prefer to plant. This nesting pattern of the female blue-throated
hummingbirds create what most term a ‘nest tower’ with one of the longest ‘towers’ stretching
up to 5 inches long.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

  • Kids Bird Watching Monthly Subscription
    Kids Bird Watching Monthly Subscription
    $10.00 / month
  • Kid & Adult Bird Watching Starter Pack Subscription
    Kid & Adult Bird Watching Starter Pack Subscription
    $10.00 / month and a $72.00 sign-up fee
  • Kids Bird Watching Starter Pack Subscription
    Kids Bird Watching Starter Pack Subscription
    $10.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Blue-Throated Hummingbirds

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Blue-Throated Hummingbirds are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

  • Birding Binoculars
    Birding Binoculars
    $49.99
  • Kids Binocular 8x21
    Kids Binoculars
    $13.99

Blue-Throated Hummingbird T-shirts

If you love the Blue-Throated Hummingbird you should purchase a Bird Watching Academy & Camp T-shirt. To help support bird conservation we donate 10 percent to bird conservation activities.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron-on patches. Our bird-watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen and identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Blue-Throated Hummingbird is a great iron-on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Blue-Throated Hummingbird Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Blue-Throated Hummingbird. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders for Blue-Throated Hummingbird

There are many types of bird feeders. Here are our favorite bird feeders for your backyard. We use all of these bird feeders currently. Kids will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. Using this collection of bird feeders will provide a wide variety and many types of birds.

Best Bird Houses for Blue-Throated Hummingbird

There are many types of birdhouses. Building a birdhouse is always fun but can be frustrating. These 4 birdhouses have become our favorites. Getting a birdhouse for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. We spent a little extra money on these birdhouses but they have been worth the higher price and look great.

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