Blue-throated Hummingbird

Overview
Blue-throated Hummingbird: Large hummingbird with bronze-green upperparts, bronze-brown rump, brilliant purple-blue throat, gray underparts. Tail is dark, occasionally washed with blue-black, and has white corners. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat
Blue-throated Hummingbird: Breeds in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, and western Texas and spends winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include pine-oak forests, usually near water; comes down to lower elevations during winter months.

The Blue-throated Hummingbird has a large range reaching up to 500,000 square kilometers. It is native to the United States and Mexico and prefers forest habitats with climates that are tropical or subtropical and moist. The global population of the bird is estimated to be 500,000 to 5,000,000 individuals. While the population trends have not been exactly determined, the bird is not believed to meet population decline criteria for inclusion on the IUCN Red List. The Blue-throated Hummingbird currently has an evaluation level of Least Concern.

INTERESTING FACTS
The Blue-throated Hummingbird is about three times heavier than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Unlike most North American hummingbirds, they do not have an aerial display. Instead, the male uses several different vocalizations to defend its territory and attract mates. Up to three broods per year are possible under ideal conditions; the female usually builds each new nest atop the previous nest, leading to nest "towers" at traditional nest sites. A group of hummingbirds has many collective nouns, including a “bouquet", "glittering", "hover", "shimmer", and "tune” of hummingbirds.