Blue-throated Mountaingem

The blue-throated mountaingem is the largest hummingbird found in the United States. It is 11.2 to 12.8 cm (4.4 to 5.0 in) long. Males weigh an average of 8.4 g (0.30 oz) and females 6.8 g (0.24 oz). Both sexes have a medium-length black bill, though there is some variation among the subspecies and females' bills are longer than males'. Both sexes of all subspecies have a conspicuous white stripe behind the eye and a narrower stripe extending backward from the corner of its bill under a blackish cheek patch. The nominate subspecies is the largest and has the longest bill. Voice: Male blue-throated mountaingems sing two types of songs: a simple "peep song", which sounds like a squeaky wheel lasting about one second, and a quiet but complex "whisper song" lasting as long as eight seconds. The female is also reported to sing during the breeding season to attract the attention of males.