Species Spotlight: Fiery-throated Hummingbird

Introduction of the Species

The Fiery-throated Hummingbird looks like someone built a hummingbird out of emerald, sapphire, and a welding torch. It is one of the great prizes of Costa Rica’s mountain regions, and it has a way of stopping photographers in their tracks the first time its throat catches the light.

Physical Description

This species is best known for its glowing throat, which can flash brilliant orange, gold, and fiery pink depending on the angle. The body is mostly green, but that throat is the headline act and deservedly so.

Native Habitat

Fiery-throated Hummingbirds live in montane forest, cloud forest, elfin forest, and nearby open areas in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama. They are especially associated with cooler elevations and forest-edge habitats in mountain country.

Migration Patterns in North America

This is not a migratory North American species. It is a resident hummingbird of South America, though some individuals may move to somewhat lower elevations outside the breeding season.

Food and Eating Habits

It feeds on nectar from a wide range of flowers and also takes small arthropods. It is known for being aggressive and dominant around feeding areas, which helps explain why it often behaves like it owns the place. Frankly, it usually does.

Known Lifespan

I did not find a reliable species-specific lifespan figure for the Fiery-throated Hummingbird. As with many hummingbirds, exact lifespan data can be limited even when the species is well known.

Join Us in Costa Rica

Our Costa Rica workshop is built for moments like this: mountain light, fresh coffee, and a Fiery-throated Hummingbird glowing on a perch like it knows exactly how ridiculous it looks.