15 Species Of Hummingbirds Found In America

Hummingbirds are some of the most beautiful birds in the avian class due to their fast flight patterns, swift movements in the air, and colorful feathers. These tiny birds are valuable not only because they shocked the scientific world with their remarkable capabilities but also because they are inhabitants of different niches in terms of ecosystems. 

North and South Americans are privileged to enjoy various hummingbirds, which are also different in color, for instance, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Violet-crowned ones. This guide looks at 15 types of hummingbirds seen in North and Central America and gives an insight into their scientific name, plumage, feeding, and nesting behavior.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Archilochus colubris

Habitat: They inhabit the eastern half of North America and can be found in gardens and woods.

Migration: Winters in Central America.

Beak: The beak's length and narrow shape speak for themselves. It is adapted for the tubular-type flowers.

Feather: Males also have an iridescent ruby-red throat, while males and females have a green back and a white belly.

Feeding Habits: They feed on nectar and consume insects for their source of protein.

Nesting: Nests in trees or shrubs and prefers an area near water.

Mating Behavior: The male birds perform a U or J shaped dive to attract females' attention.

Breeding Season: Late spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: Generally, two white eggs with approximate dimensions of 1.2–1.4 cm long.

Rufous Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Selasphorus rufus

Habitat: Primarily found in open woodland and gardens.

Migration: This bird is an example of a long-distance migrant traveling from Alaska to Mexico.

Beak: The long straight is most likely for the nectar feeding.

Feather: The male is bright orange, the throat is red, and the female is primarily green with an orange line on the chest.

Feeding Habits: Fast-flying nectar-rovers and insectivores in which the female is more active than the male.

Nesting: Constructs bowl-shaped nests in conifer trees with plant material, especially spider's web.

Mating Behavior: There are dives by males.

Breeding Season: Spring to summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: They are about 1.2-1.4 cm long, white, oval-shaped, and roughly equivalent to the size of a pea.

Anna's Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Calypte anna

Habitat: Native to the Pacific Coast, usually growing in urban places and gardens.

Migration: Primarily a resident bird but sometimes moves in search of food within a short range.

Beak: Long and pointed, thin and adapted to reach the nectar.

Feather: Males have a bright pink rose on the crown and throat, while their belly is green, reflecting a metallic sheen.

Feeding Habits: Nectar and small insects.

Nesting: They make their nests in bushes or trees using plant products.

Mating Behavior: Males of this species have been known to conduct aerial maneuvers while emitting a chirping sound.

Breeding Season: Winter to early summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: It is about 1 cm in diameter and placed in a cup-like nest.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Archilochus alexandri

Habitat: Found typically in western units in regions of the desert biome or extensive grasslands.

Migration: Breeds between May and September and commutes in winter until early spring.

Beak: 16–22 millimeters long, straight, thin, and pointed.

Feather: Males have a black patch on the throat that is somewhat purple at the base, and the female is green with white under the tail cover.

Feeding Habits: It is a nectar and insect feeder especially fond of red-bloomed plants.

Nesting: Nests are constructed in shrubs or small trees.

Mating Behavior: Males engage in courtship flights to secure a mate.

Breeding Season: Spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: It is white and close to 1mm in size.

Calliope Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Selasphorus calliope

Habitat: A plant native to alpine meadows and subalpine forests in the western United States and western Canada.

Migration: That flies south to Mexico for the winter.

Beak: Long and straight to get to the nectar.

Feather: The adult male has black plumage and a magenta throat patch, while the adult female has green plumage on the back.

Feeding Habits: A nectar and insect eater; considered territorial and protector of their feeders

Nesting: Nests in shrubs or trees, usually in an area closer to water sources.

Mating Behavior: Male birds fly to please females.

Breeding Season: Late spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: The eggs are white and, on average, 1 cm in diameter. 

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Selasphorus platycercus

Habitat: They are native to the West's mountain forests and meadows and are initially from America.

Migration: Migrating populations (not all migrate) winter in southern Mexico or Guatemala.

Beak: A long, slightly decurved bill to reach small tubular flowers.

Feather: The male has bright green plumage on the back, a rose-colored throat, and a broad tail.

Feeding Habits: Larvae feed on nectar, and insects prefer flowers at high altitudes.

Nesting: They build their nests in trees or shrubs with plant material and silk produced by spiders.

Mating Behavior: Males carry out airborne mating displays.

Breeding Season: Late spring to summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: Relatively tiny and snowy eggs that can be sized about 1 centimeter; they lay their eggs in a bowl-like nest.

Costa's Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Calypte costae

Habitat: Occurs in deserts and gardens in the Southwest United States and northwestern Mexico.

Migration: Most are residents, but some may move to other areas to escape desert heat.

Beak: A straight, slender beak.

Feather: Males have a bright purple crown and throat combined with green body feathers, while females have grey underparts and white underwings.

Feeding Habits: It is known to feed on nectar and insects, and birds are typically territorial.

Nesting: These nests are constructed in bushes or trees made from plant parts.

Mating Behavior: Males display colorful plumage to attract females.

Breeding Season: Late winter to early summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: They are tiny, opaque, white, and measure about 1 cm long.

Mexican Violetear (Green Violetear)

Scientific Name: Colibri thalassinus

Habitat: It favors highlands and montane cloud forests in Central America and Southwest United States.

Migration: Mainly nonmigratory, although there are exceptions.

Beak: Has a long and straight beak.

Feather: The male has iridescent green plumage with a violet patch on the ear region.

Feeding Habits: It eats nectar, and insects.

Nesting: Nests are made in trees or shrubs using moss and plant fibers.

Mating Behavior: Males engage in aggressive displays to defend territory.

Breeding Season: Late spring through summer.

What Its Egg Look Like White eggs are about 1 cm long.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Amazilia tacitly

Habitat: It is primarily located in lowland primary forests and gardens of Central America.

Migration: Stable or largely stable, occasionally migratory during rainfall.

Beak: Small and round, most suitable for pickling different flowers.

Feather: Males are a bright green color with a spectacular rufous tail.

Feeding Habits: It eats nectar and small insects.

Nesting: The female builds nests in trees out of plant material and silk from spiders.

Mating Behavior: Males engage in courtship by flying acrobatics to attract their female counterparts.

Breeding Season: This is for the entire year, depending on local conditions.

What Does Its Egg Like: They are small, white, and have a diameter of approximately 1 cm.

Allen's Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Selasphorus sasin

Habitat: Endemic to coast of the Pacific Ocean, commonly found in gardens and scrubland areas.

Migration: Moves from the United States to Mexico if it is winter season.

Beak: Long, straight, and slender.

Feather: Males have bright orange coloration on the sides, green on the upper part, and a glowing green-blue patch on the throat.

Feeding Habits: It draws its food from nectar and small insects.

Nesting: A nest is constructed in shrubs or trees using spider webs or plant material.

Mating Behavior: Males make steep dives and back and forth motions in front of females.

Breeding Season: Early spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: White-shelled and measures between 1.2 - 1.4 cm long.

Magnificent Hummingbird (Rivoli's hummingbird)

Scientific Name: Eugenes fulgens

Habitat: Native to Central America and some southwestern areas in the United States, this species can be found in highland forests and mountainous terrains.

Migration: They are partial migrants, with some migrating short distances south for the winter.

Beak: Long, slightly curving, designed to get at hard-to-reach flowers.

Feather: Males have beautiful bright green feathers with an intensely purple neck and a long, squared tail.

Feeding Habits: They feed on nectar and tiny insects.

Nesting: It makes nests in trees from plant materials and spider webs and prefers sectioned seclusion.

Mating Behavior: Males exhibit spectacular aerial courtship to their female partners.

Breeding Season: Rates are from spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: A small white egg about 1.4 - 1.7 cm long.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Cynanthus latirostris

Habitat：The Broad-billed Hummingbird are primarily found in the southwestern states, particularly in Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Texas.

Migration and Feeding Habits：They feed on particularly nectar and small insects. With its long, straight beak, it is well-adapted to feed on flowers rich in nectar and occasionally visits feeders.

Distinctive Appearance：Males are striking with their black caps, a black patch near the eyes, and vibrant green bellies. The rest of their underparts are predominantly white, creating a sharp contrast.

Nesting and Reproduction：The Broad-billed Hummingbird breeds in spring and summer, using shrubs and trees within dense thickets to construct nests made of twigs, moss, and plant fibers. The eggs are small, white, and measure around 1 centimeter in diameter.

Mating Behavior：Males perform a unique courtship display, flapping their wings in an almost touching manner to attract females and assert dominance over their territories.

White-eared Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Basilinna leucotis

Habitat: Explicitly adapted to live in Mexico's mountain forests and mesquite deserts and the southwestern United States.

Migration: They are mostly resident birds, but some move from one area to another according to the seasons.

Beak: Rod-like, adapted for nectar foraging.

Feather: They have white patches on their ears; the rest of their bodies have brilliant green, slightly curved tail feathers.

Feeding Habits: Eats nectar and small insects to acquire protein.

Nesting: They are located on shrubs or trees; the construction material includes plants and spider webs.

Mating Behavior: Males engage in aggressive behavior together with acrobatics to seduce females.

Breeding Season: Late spring to summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: Small white smooth-shelled eggs of about 1 cm in length.

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Amazilia yucatanensis

Habitat: It is located in the subtropical and tropical zones of Mexico and the southern parts of the United States and prefers to be near water.

Migration: Resident to short-distance migrant

Beak: Beak: Brilliant red bill, slightly curved.

Feather: Males are green on the upper parts of their body with a buff-colored under part of the body; they have a slightly curved bill for flower probing.

Feeding Habits: They are carnivorous flowers that feed on nectar and insects.

Nesting: Mounds are constructed in trees or shrubs from plant fibers as well as spiders' webs.

Mating Behavior: Males must display in the air to attract a female or chase other males away from the area.

Breeding Season: Spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: Small, white, and ranging between 1.2 - 1.4 cm in length.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Scientific Name: Amazilia violaceus

Habitat: Lives in hot and dry areas of the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Migration: Some migrate south into Mexico for the winter, but others stay in US year-round.

Beak: Straight orange bill with a black tip.

Feather: The males have distinctive violet crowns while the body is green and the throat is white.

Feeding Habits: Drinks nectar and consumes small insects.

Nesting: Nests are usually constructed in trees or shrubs and made of plant fiber, as well as spider webs.

Mating Behavior: To scare off competitors and attract females, males perch and flare their plumage.

Breeding Season: It breeds from late spring through summer.

What Does Its Egg Like: Shiny, smooth, white with an approximate length of 1.4 cm.

Conclusion

From the high-altitude meadows where the Calliope Hummingbird thrives, to the arid regions that are home to the Costa's Hummingbird, each species brings its unique adaptations and beauty to the diverse landscapes of the Americas.