# Green-throated Carib

Scientific name: Eulampis holosericeus

Bird group: [hummingbird](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/hummingbird)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/94/Green-throated-Carib

## Identification

The green-throated carib (Eulampis holosericeus) is a species of hummingbird in the genus Eulampis, which contains one other species.  It has two subspecies, holosericeus and chlorolaemus, the former occurring in Puerto Rico and the latter in Grenada.
The green-throated carib is a large hummingbird.  Adult females have some feathers orange to light green below the peak, while adult males have light green in greater proportion. Also the tail in adult females is dark red-brown with tips ending in white, the tail of the male is dark blue. Both females and males have an intense blue band on the chest, belly of both are dark green-blue. The back of both is green with golden tones.


## Distribution and habitat

The Green-throated Carib occurs throughout the Lesser Antilles, 
the Virgin Islands, Vieques 
(Gemmill 2015), and Puerto 
Rico (Raffaele and others 1998), 
where it is a common but local 
resident (Oberle 2018). This 
hummingbird is believed to have colonized from the Virgin Islands 
and the Lesser Antilles, where 
it is widespread and common 
(Raffaele 1989a, Raffaele and 
others 1998). Although Wetmore 
found this species to be common 
on Culebra, Culebrita, and 
Vieques during his surveys in 
1911–1912, he never observed 
it on Puerto Rico and was 
aware of only two prior records 
from the main island (Wetmore 
1916). However, by the 1980s 
the Green-throated Carib was 
found in eastern Puerto Rico 
and believed to be expanding 
its range westward on the island 
(Raffaele 1989a). It is currently 
common on the coastal plain 
of the eastern third of Puerto Rico and on offshore cays 
(J.A. Salguero-Faría, personal 
observation 2009). The Green-
throated Carib inhabits forests, 
mangroves, and gardens (Oberle 
2018). The atlas fieldwork 
yielded a total of 99 records 
within 68 hexagons or 14 
percent of the 479 total hexagons 
(see map). Of the 68 hexagons 
where this species was found, 
breeding met the atlas definition 
of confirmed in 16 percent (11) 
of the hexagons, probable in 12 
percent (8), and possible in 69 
percent (47), while the species 
was observed in 3 percent (2) 
of the hexagons but without 
evidence of breeding (see map). Green-throated Carib distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.      85Green-throated Carib/Zumbador Pechiazul

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Green-throated 
Carib breeds from March to mid-
July, and nests are built in the 
fork of a twig above the ground 
(Raffaele and others 1998). Atlas 
results show that breeding occurs 
in almost every month and 
probably extends throughout 
the year, but it is higher in May 
and June (see chart). Results 
show that this species mostly breeds within the subtropical 
dry and subtropical moist forest 
life zones (50 and 47 percent of 
the hexagons, respectively), in 
the coastal lowlands (see table and map).

## Conservation


The Green-throated Carib population is described as 
common within its distribution 
range, and it is listed as a 
species of least concern by the IUCN (BirdLife International 
2016). Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Green-throated Carib has a 
protected habitat in land of 10 
percent or 158 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons 
where evidence of breeding 
was found for this species 
(1622 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_094_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_094_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.