White-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis castaneoventris Scientific name definitions
Revision Notes
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Catalan | colibrí de ventre castany |
Croatian | sivotrba smaragdnica |
Czech | kolibřík pokřovní |
Dutch | Roodbuikjuweelkolibrie |
English | White-throated Mountain-gem |
English (United States) | White-throated Mountain-gem |
Finnish | ruskopilvikolibri |
French | Colibri à ventre châtain |
French (Canada) | Colibri à ventre châtain |
German | Weißkehlnymphe |
Japanese | ノドジロシロメジリハチドリ |
Norwegian | hvitstrupejuvel |
Polish | malachicik białogardły |
Russian | Белогорлый солнечник |
Serbian | Belogrli planinski kolibri |
Slovak | medovec bielohrdlý |
Spanish | Colibrí Ventricastaño |
Spanish (Costa Rica) | Colibrí Montañés Gorgiblanco |
Spanish (Panama) | Colibrí Montañés Gorguiblanco |
Spanish (Spain) | Colibrí ventricastaño |
Swedish | vitstrupig bergsjuvel |
Turkish | Ak Gerdanlı Dağmücevheri |
Ukrainian | Колібрі-самоцвіт білогорлий |
Revision Notes
Roselvy Juárez revised the account. Peter Pyle contributed to the Plumages, Molts, and Structure page. Roselvy Juárez and Audrey Su curated the media.
Lampornis castaneoventris (Gould, 1851)
Definitions
- LAMPORNIS
- castaneoventris
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Introduction
The White-throated Mountain-gem is endemic to the highlands of southern Central America. Rather remarkably, given the species’ small range, it comprises two subspecies—the nominate of western Panama and L. c. cinereicauda of southern Costa Rica—which differ primarily in tail pattern. The nominate male has a dark green tail with a bluish-black subterminal band, whereas Costa Rican males have an entirely gray tail. Differences between females are more subtle: in Costa Rica, females have a dull bronzy green tail, whilst in Panama they have a darker bronzy-green tail with a prominent subterminal band. In the latter country, females of this species closely resemble females of Purple-throated Mountain-gem (Lampornis calolaemus).
White-throated Mountain-gem inhabits humid montane forests and second growth, usually above 1,500 m, but, perhaps seasonally down to 1,000 m. Occasionally, the species is observed in plantations, shrubby clearings, and gardens adjacent to forests. It frequently forages in the canopy, but nests in the understory. The species is territorial at patches of flowers, and is dominant over the similar-sized Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus), but subordinate to the marginally larger Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis).
Several aspects of the life history of White-throated Mountain-gem remain relatively poorly studied. Basic information that is still “missing” includes multiple facets of breeding biology, diet, habitat preferences, behavior, demography, and survival. Partly in consequence, the species’ conservation status is not well known, although BirdLife International, which treats the two subspecies as different species, considers both to be Least Concern under IUCN Red List criteria. Perhaps some of the most glaring questions concern its taxonomy. As mentioned above, White-throated Mountain-gem is treated here as a polytypic species, but according to other taxonomic authorities, such treatment is inconsistent with recognition of Lampornis calolaemus as a species (see Systematics). It is unclear if the nominate subspecies is in contact with Lampornis castaneoventris cinereicauda; documented reports seem to suggest they are not. Interbreeding has been reported only with Lampornis calolaemus, which occurs sympatrically at several localities in both Costa Rica and Panama.
- Year-round
- Migration
- Breeding
- Non-Breeding