Birdsong field guide
Tres Marias Hummingbird
Cynanthus lawrencei
A small, iridescent hummingbird endemic to the Islas Marías, distinguished from mainland relatives by its more extensive turquoise-blue underparts and distinct vocalizations.
What it sounds like
A rapid, dry series of metallic chattering notes and sharp, high-pitched 'chip' sounds.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Formerly classified as a subspecies of the Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris) until taxonomic splits recognized its distinctness.
- Adult males exhibit a vibrant turquoise-blue throat and chest that extends further down the belly than in mainland species.
- The species is strictly restricted to the four islands of the Tres Marías archipelago off the coast of Nayarit, Mexico.
- Females are characterized by their duller green upperparts and pale gray underparts, lacking the brilliant iridescence of the males.
- The bill is notably straight and reddish with a prominent black tip, a characteristic shared with other members of the Cynanthus genus.
Habitat
Tropical deciduous forests, arid scrublands, and edges of coastal thickets.
Range
Islas Marías (Maria Madre, Maria Magdalena, Maria Cleofas, and San Juanito), Mexico.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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