Long billed Starthroat

The Long billed Starthroat belongs to the Trochilidae family. It is rather large hummingbird of humid evergreen forest and edge in tropical lowlands and it is quite uncommon. This species feeds mainly in the canopy, but also over clearings and streams where it hawks for insects with jerky flycatching sallies.

You can recognize it by looking at the very long, straight bill, dark throat bordered by a broad whitish mustache, turquoise crown, and white patch above the rump. Sexes look similar, but immature lacks adult’s red color in throat, which is very difficult to see. Their throat usually appears blackish. It usually has a white spot behind the eye, not a whitish stripe like Plain-capped Starthroat. It is also note greenish, not dusky sides as on Plain-capped Starthroat. You can see it on our bird photography trips in the Manu National Park.

Source: ebird

Photo: Alfredo Cornejo