From Opus

Eulampis holosericeus

Photo by Johnathan Farmer
Location: Barbados

[edit] Identification

10.5-12 cm, with little or no difference between sexes. Upperside is green with blue outer uppertail coverts but green central uppertail coverts; sometimes, a bluish sheen can be seen on outer tail feathers. Underside has an iridiscent green throat and upper breast, followed by a narrow blue band, and the rest of the underparts are black (the iridiscence of the throat is not stronger than it looks green in almost any light). The bill is black and somewhat down-curved. In Dominica some individual birds have single white feathers or even a white spot around the leg.

This is one of the species of hummingbirds where one sometimes will see a bird with part of the plumage colored by the pollen from a flower. Examples include a bird with the crown having an oval yellow area, and different birds with yellow instead of green throat area.

[edit] Distribution and Taxonomy

Endemic to the Caribbean where it is found from Grenada north throughout the Lesser Antilles and into Puerto Rico of the Greater Antilles. Birds in Grenada belongs to the subspecies chlorolaemus, while all others belong to the nominate subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Rainforests, gardens, and other places with flowers at all elevations.

[edit] Behavior

All Lesser Antillean Hummingbirds will take insects in addition to feeding on nectar.

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