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What is a hummingbird gorget?

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Illustration of a chestnut-collared swift (Cypseloides rutilus) in flight, showing its dark brown body and wings with a distinctive reddish-brown collar around its neck. — Apodiform Chestnut-collared swift (*Cypseloides rutilus*)

A hummingbird gorget is a distinctive, bib-like patch of iridescent feathers located on the throat of the bird.12

This feature is a common form of ornamentation, particularly among males, and serves as a visual display during courtship and territorial defense. Because the feathers are iridescent, the perceived color of the gorget changes depending on the angle from which it is viewed. During display flights, a male hummingbird will often hover in front of a female, orienting himself so that the light reflects off his gorget to highlight its brilliant color.1