Long-billed Starthroat

Quick Facts

  • Scientific Name: Heliomaster longirostris
  • Spanish Name: Colibrí pico largo
  • Family: Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Long-billed Star-throat Hummingbird
  • Average Length: 10–12 cm / 3.9–4.7 in
  • Average Weight: 5.5–7.5 g / 0.19–0.26 oz
  • Wingspan: 13–15 cm / 5–6 in
  • Key Feature: Long, decurved bill and iridescent magenta throat patch
  • Primary Diet: Primarily Nectarivore, occasionally insectivore
  • Range: Southern Mexico through Central America to Bolivia and Brazil
  • Habitat: Tropical lowland forest edges, clearings, and gardens
  • Social Structure: Solitary
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest on a horizontal tree branch
  • Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
  • Population Trend: Stable

The Long-billed Starthroat (*Heliomaster longirostris*) is a dazzling hummingbird that lives up to its name, boasting a strikingly long, decurved bill perfectly adapted for sipping nectar from deep tropical flowers. Its general appearance is a sleek, shimmering jewel: the male sports an iridescent emerald green back, a vivid crimson throat patch (the "starthroat"), and a forked, steely blue tail that flashes in flight. A special feature is its distinctive white malar stripe—a bold, curved line below the eye that sets it apart from similar species. Equally remarkable is its feeding behavior; it often hovers with its tail cocked upward, probing blossoms with surgical precision, and can be seen defending flower-rich territories with aggressive aerial chases. This elegant bird ranges from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, a true aerial acrobat of the neotropics.

Fun Facts

Despite its name, the Long-billed Starthroat’s bill isn’t just for reaching deep flowers—it also uses a unique “trap-lining” foraging strategy, visiting the same nectar-rich blossoms in a predictable circuit each day, almost like a tiny delivery route. It has an unusually loud, whistling wingbeat that often announces its presence before it appears, and males perform a dramatic “pendulum” display, swinging back and forth in midair while flashing their iridescent ruby throat. Remarkably, this hummingbird sometimes hovers so close to spider webs that it snatches trapped insects right off the silk, adding a protein boost to its sugary diet.

Habitats & Distribution

This hummingbird inhabits a variety of open and semi-open environments, including forest edges, clearings, secondary growth, gardens, and coffee plantations, often near flowering trees or shrubs. It is commonly found from lowland regions up to elevations around 1,800 meters, favoring areas with abundant nectar sources and perches. Its geographical range extends from southern Mexico through Central America (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and into northern and western South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. It is generally resident but may undertake local seasonal movements in response to flowering cycles.

Behaviours & Reproduction

Males are solitary and aggressively defend feeding territories rich in tubular flowers, but they do not form pair bonds. During courtship, the male performs a dramatic U-shaped dive display near a perched female, producing a sharp noise with his tail feathers. After mating, the female alone builds a small cup nest from plant down and spider webs, often on a horizontal branch. She lays two white eggs and incubates them for about 15–18 days, then feeds the nestlings regurgitated nectar and insects until they fledge at around 22–26 days. A unique reproductive strategy is that females may begin a second clutch while still feeding fledglings from the first brood, overlapping broods to maximize output in seasonal environments.

Diet

The Long-billed Starthroat’s diet is dominated by nectar from tubular flowers, particularly those of plants such as *Heliconia*, *Passiflora*, and various bromeliads, which it accesses with its exceptionally long, decurved bill and extensible, brush-tipped tongue. It also opportunistically consumes small insects and spiders, gleaning them from foliage or catching them in midair, especially to supplement protein needs during breeding and molting. An interesting dietary behavior is its occasional use of flowers that bloom at dawn or dusk, allowing it to avoid competition with other hummingbirds. Additionally, it has been observed visiting artificial feeders when natural nectar sources are scarce.

Colors

The Long-billed Starthroat has iridescent bronzy-green upperparts and a white belly, with a striking crimson throat patch (gorget) that flashes violet and purple in the light. A distinctive white stripe runs behind the eye, and the long, decurved black bill is its most prominent feature. Its plumage provides no special camouflage, but the shimmering gorget helps with display and territorial signaling.