A heavyweight champion among Caribbean hummingbirds, bringing a sense of “emerald muscle” to the tropical gardens and mountain forests of the Lesser Antilles. While many hummingbirds are dainty and fragile, this species is large, robust, and famously assertive. It is draped in deep, velvety black plumage, the perfect canvas for its namesake feature: a brilliant, glittering lime-green gorget (throat) that flashes like a neon sign when it catches the sun.
What truly distinguishes the green-throated carib is its “personality” and specialized hardware. It possesses a long, noticeably curved black bill, perfectly engineered for the deep, tubular flowers of the Caribbean, particularly the vibrant Heliconia. This bird is not a passive visitor to the garden; it is a fierce territorial defender. Because it relies on high-energy nectar sources, it will often “claim” a specific patch of flowers and spend its day chasing away any other hummingbirds, insects, or even much larger birds that dare to intrude on its feast. If you hear a sharp, metallic cheep and see a dark blur moving with incredible speed, you are likely witnessing a carib patrolling its floral kingdom.
In terms of lifestyle, these birds are the “highlanders” of the islands, often preferring the humid, lush environments of mid-elevation forests and mountain slopes rather than the dry coastal scrub. They are also remarkably skilled architects; the female builds a tiny, deep cup-shaped nest using soft plant fibers and spiderwebs, camouflaging the outside with bits of lichen and moss so it looks like a natural knot on a branch. Despite their aggressive nature toward rivals, they are incredibly nimble flyers, capable of hovering with surgical precision and even flying backward or upside down for brief moments as they navigate the dense tropical foliage in search of their next nectar fix.
Distribution
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Barbados
Bonaire Sint Eustatius And Saba
British Virgin Is.
Dominica
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Martinique
Montserrat
Puerto Rico
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent
Sint Maarten
St. Kitts & Nevis
US Virgin IslandsAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Nectarivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
