From Opus

Photo by colorob
Location: Littleton, Colorado

Selasphorus platycercus

[edit] Identification

8-9cm. Green upperparts, white underparts, buff and green flanks; male - red throat, female - white throat speckled with iridescent green or bronze.

[edit] Distribution

Southwestern US to Mexico and Guatemala. Casual vagrant to Kansas.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

Open woodland, scrub and thickets.

[edit] Behaviour

The nest is cupshaped and bound to a branch by spiders' webs; 2 white eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 16 days. The young fledge 23 days later.

The diet includes nectar and insects.

[edit] External Links