Pink-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis)

Identification & Behavior: ~11.5 cm (4.5 in). The male Pink-throated Brilliant is mostly dark green with a pink iridescent gorget. The female is green above and whitish-gray on the throat and center of the breast and belly. It has a rudimentary pink gorget on the throat. The tail in both sexes is slightly notched and green, with white tips on the outer tail feathers of the female.  The vent or undertail coverts in both sexes are white.  Both sexes are similar to the closely related Rufous-webbed Brilliant, but their ranges do not overlap. Also, see the Little Sunangel. (*) This is a female Rufous-webbed Brilliant, which is very similar to a female Pink-throated Brilliant.

Status: The Pink-throated Brilliant is rare and local in humid montane forest in the northern Andes at elevations ranging between 400-1050 m. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Brillante de Garganta Rosada.

Sub-species: Pink-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis), Gould, 1860.

Meaning of Name: Heliodoxa: Gr. Hēlios= sun and doxa=  glory, magnificence.
gularis: L. gularis, gula= throat, throated.

See more of the Family Trochilidae