Purple-throated carib (Eulampis jugularis)

Jardin de Balata, Martinique. Nov 23, 2023

comments (5)

Thibaud Aronson

Lion

Undoubtedly the most imposing hummer out of the 4 species that occur in Martinique, this private botanical garden is THE place to see them, with a couple dozen of them attending the feeders! Posted one year ago

NattyOne

Lion

Looking imperious!! Posted one year ago
1. Thibaud Aronson
  
  Lion
  
  Indeed! It's one of the largest members of the family.
  (Or was that a play on words with imperial purple? hehe) Posted one year ago
2. 1. NattyOne
    
    Lion
    
    To a degree, but if a hummer's beak could be assimilated to a roman nose, then that's a Caesar's nose portrait!! Posted one year ago
  2. 1. Thibaud Aronson
      
      Lion
      
      For sure! I also learned something interesting about the species :
      "The sexual dimorphism and evolution of this species is closely tied to the two heliconias native to the Lesser Antilles: Heliconia bihai and Heliconia caribaea. Male Purple-throated Caribs exclude females from Heliconia caribaea through territoriality, but are prevented from feeding at all but the shortest-flowered Heliconia bihai plants due to their shorter bills. This renders males inferior in exploitative competition with the longer-billed females, leading to sexual partitioning of these two plant species driven by intraspecific competition. The two heliconias do not occur in equal abundance on many islands within the Lesser Antilles, and whichever heliconia is more common develops a second color morph with flowers and energy rewards corresponding to the sex of its primary pollinator."
      (from BOTW)
      Posted one year ago

The Purple-throated carib

The purple-throated carib is a species of hummingbird in the subfamily Polytminae. It is resident on most of the islands of the Lesser Antilles and has occurred as a vagrant both further north and south.

Info 2 0

Similar species: Swifts And Hummingbirds

Species identified by Thibaud Aronson