Black-throated brilliant

The black-throated brilliant is a species of hummingbird in tribe Heliantheini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It lives in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Distribution

Region

Western and central Amazon Basin

Typical Environment

Occurs in lowland rainforest of Brazil (western Amazon), southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and northern and eastern Peru. It favors terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forest, forest borders, and tall secondary growth. Often forages along rivers, light gaps, and semi-open understory where flowering plants are abundant. It is generally uncommon to fairly common but can be locally frequent where favorite nectar sources bloom.

Altitude Range

0–1200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size11–13 cm

Wing Span14–16 cm

Male Weight0.008 kg

Female Weight0.0075 kg

Life Expectancy5 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This large Amazonian hummingbird is named for the male’s velvety black throat, which contrasts with its glittering green body. It frequents the shaded understory and edges of humid lowland forest and often visits Heliconia and other tubular flowers. Like many hummingbirds, it may enter short bouts of torpor to conserve energy during cool or resource-poor periods.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

strong flier with agile hovering and short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Typically forages alone and males defend rich flower patches against other hummingbirds. Courtship involves rapid chases and display flights. The nest is a small cup of plant fibers and moss bound with spider silk, usually placed on a sheltered horizontal support; clutch size is two eggs.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations are thin, high-pitched chips and tseet notes, delivered singly or in short series while foraging. Males may add buzzy trills during aggressive encounters around nectar sources.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Black-throated finch

The black-throated finch, or parson finch, is a species of estrildid finch found in grassy woodlands throughout north-east Australia from Cape York Peninsula to central Queensland. The southern black-throated finch is endangered, with a population in decline and its habitat is threatened by development, and has become extinct in New South Wales, while the northern black-throated finch is not listed as threatened at this point.

Black-throated gray warbler

The black-throated gray warbler or black-throated grey warbler is a passerine bird of the New World warbler family Parulidae. It is 13 cm (5.1 in) long and has gray and white plumage with black markings. The male has the bold black throat of its name, and black stripes on its head, as well as black streaks on its flanks; the female is a paler version of the male, with a white throat and less distinct black markings on the flanks and wings. It breeds in western North America from British Columbia to New Mexico, and winters in Mexico and the southwestern United States. The habitats it prefers are coniferous and mixed forests and scrubland, especially those with pinyon pines, junipers, sagebrush, and oaks. Its nest is an open cup of plant fibers lined with feathers, built a few metres from the ground in the branches of a tree or shrub. Three to five eggs are laid, and young are fed by both parents. Common in its breeding range, it does not seem to be seriously threatened by human activities, unlike many migratory warblers.