About Eulampis jugularis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Taxonomy
The purple-throated carib (Eulampis jugularis (Linnaeus, 1766)) measures 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) in total length.
Size and Weight
Males weigh between 9 and 12 g (0.32 to 0.42 oz), while females weigh 7 to 10 g (0.25 to 0.35 oz); specimens whose sex was not recorded weighed from 6.7 to 10.8 g (0.24 to 0.38 oz).
Adult Plumage
Adult males and females share the same plumage pattern: their crown and back are velvety black, their throat and chest are fiery purplish red, their wings are bright golden green, and their tail along with its upper and lower coverts is metallic greenish blue.
Bill Characteristics
The male has a medium-length, slightly decurved bill; the female's bill is longer and more strongly curved.
Immature Plumage
Immature birds have orange throats and chests marked with red speckles.
Resident Range
In terms of distribution and habitat, the purple-throated carib is a resident species on Antigua, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Sint Eustatius.
Vagrant Records
It has been recorded as a vagrant in Barbados, Barbuda, Grenada and the Greater Antilles.
Habitat and Elevation
It lives in the interior and edges of both primary and secondary forest, and is found mostly at elevations between 800 and 1,200 m (2,600 and 3,900 ft).
