The Typical Sheartails (Doricha) is a Mexican hummingbird genus that is named for their deeply forked, narrow tail.
Currently, there are two recognized species
- Lucifer Hummingbirds (Calothorax lucifer) – Found in central and northern Mexico with vagrants in southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico and west Texas.
- Mexican Sheartail (Doricha eliza or Calothorax eliza) – Found In southeastern Mexico; specifically, Yucatán and Veracruz.
Description
The Sheartail’s bill is long and slightly down-curved. The back is grey-green. The forked tail folds to a narrow point. They have short wings..
The male of either subspecies has a long, purple / magenta throat patch that is elongated at the sides. This throat patch (known as “gorget” appears black in poor light.
The female has a buffy chest.
Diet / Feeding
The Sheartails primarily feed on nectar taken from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs and epiphytes.
