Purple-throated Mountaingem

The purple-throated mountaingem is 10 to 11.5 cm (3.9 to 4.5 in) long and weighs 4.5 to 6 g (0.16 to 0.21 oz). Both sexes of all subspecies have a medium-length straight black bill, a white to pale buff stripe behind the eye, and a fairly long tail. Adult males of the nominate subspecies L. c. calolaemus have a glittering emerald green to bluish green forehead and crown. The rest of their upperparts are metallic bronze-green that shades to bluish or grass green on the uppertail coverts. Much of the face is dusky bronze green and the gorget is metallic violet or purple. Voice: The purple-throated mountaingem's song is "high, thin, and dry, a complex medley of sputtering and warbling notes." A frequently heard call is variously described as "trrrt" or "a sharp, penetrating, buzzy zeet or zeep." It also gives "higher-pitched, scratchy, chattering notes" when interacting with other hummingbirds.