Slender and striking, the Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris) darts silently through the dappled light of forest edges and overgrown clearings, its long black bill cutting a sharp silhouette against the green canopy. Measuring about 11 centimeters in total length—with the bill alone reaching approximately 3.5 centimeters—this elegant hummingbird lives up to its name, combining grace with precision.

Though far from abundant, the Long-billed Starthroat is remarkably adaptable. It frequents second growth woodlands, semi-open areas with scattered trees, and hedgerows, often inhabiting regions altered by deforestation or selective clearing. Unlike many of its noisier relatives, this hummingbird tends to forage alone and in near silence, sipping nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants and trees, occasionally supplementing its diet with small insects for essential protein.

But it’s the male’s shimmering gorget that truly captures attention. These throat feathers, composed of microscopic platelets, act like prisms, producing vibrant flashes of fuchsia, violet, or fiery red through structural coloration rather than pigment. Light refracts and bounces through the unique cellular shapes in the feathers, creating iridescence that changes with the observer’s angle—dazzling rivals and potential mates alike. In most species, including the Long-billed Starthroat, these gorget feathers become more vivid as the bird matures and play a crucial role in courtship displays.

Though classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, the Long-billed Starthroat remains uncommon throughout much of its range. Still, its ability to persist in disturbed and edge habitats gives conservationists reason for hope. In some areas, selective clearing may even benefit this species by creating the open spaces and transitional environments it favors (BirdLife International species factsheet).

A quiet presence in a noisy world, the Long-billed Starthroat reminds us that even in landscapes shaped by human hands, nature still has the power to dazzle.

Watch a video from our Youtube Channel

Sources:

• del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Christie, D. (2003). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 5: Barn-owls to Hummingbirds. Lynx Edicions.— Detailed species descriptions including size and morphology of Heliomaster longirostris.

• Stiles, F.G., & Skutch, A.F. (1989). A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press.— Information on habitat preferences and adaptability to secondary growth and disturbed areas.

• Ridgely, R.S., & Gwynne, J.A. (1989). A Guide to the Birds of Panama. Princeton University Press.— Additional notes on habitat and behavior of the Long-billed Starthroat.

• Schuchmann, K.-L. (1999). Family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds), in Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 5.— Descriptions of diet, foraging behavior, and vocalizations in hummingbirds.

• Prum, R.O. (2006). “Anatomically Diverse Butterfly Scales Produce Structural Colors by Coherent Scattering.” Journal of Experimental Biology, 209, 249-265.— Explanation of structural coloration mechanisms in bird feathers, including hummingbird gorgets.

• Kinoshita, S. (2008). Structural Colors in Biology: Principles and Applications.— Details on physical principles behind iridescence and prism-like effects in feathers.

• IUCN Red List (2023). Heliomaster longirostris species assessment.— Conservation status and distribution information.

• BirdLife International species factsheet. Heliomaster longirostris.— Notes on habitat use and adaptability to human-modified landscapes.