The nominate P. i. insignis has a glittering royal blue crown and the rest of the face and nape are black.

[5] The nominate subspecies of fiery-throated hummingbird is found from the Cordillera de Tilarán in north-central Costa Rica southeast to Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí provinces of far western Panama.

It also occurs in more open landscapes like the lower edge of páramo, secondary forest, and pastures with many trees.

[5] In at least parts of its range, the fiery-throated hummingbird moves to lower elevations after breeding, though rarely below 1,400 m (4,590 ft).

[5] The fiery-throated hummingbird's breeding season in Costa Rica spans from August to January.

She lays two white eggs in a bulky cup nest of plant fibers whose outside is covered with moss and lichen.

The nest is typically placed 2 to 4 m (7 to 10 ft) high at the end of a descending bamboo stem or on a rootlet under a bank.

Though it has a small range, its population is estimated to be between 50,000 and 500,000 mature individuals and the number is believed to be stable.