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Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercusOrder: APODIFORMESFamily: Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Broad-tailed-Hummingbird Portrait
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Range Map for Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Overview

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird with green upperparts and flanks, iridescent red throat, and gray underparts. Dark green tail may show some rufous. Black bill is long and straight. Black legs, feet. Feeds on nectar, spiders, sap and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Breeds in the mountains from eastern California and northern Wyoming through the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain states to southern Arizona and western Texas. Spends winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include mountain meadows, pinyon-juniper woodlands, dry ponderosa pines, fir or mixed forests, and canyon vegetation.

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Listen:

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Voice Text

"chip", "chick", "chitter chitter chitter"

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Related Birds:

Anna's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Lucifer Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Plain-capped Starthroat
.

Copyright © 2005 WBFI Research Foundation Bird database and its related content and media is Copyright (C) 2002 - 2005 Mitch Waite Group All rights reserved.

Family Hummingbird (Trochilidae)_blue
Species Selasphorus platycercus
Length4 - 4.5 Inches
Wingspan5 Inches

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Medium hummingbird with green upperparts and flanks, iridescent red throat, and gray underparts. Dark green tail may show some rufous. Black bill is long and straight. Black legs, feet. Feeds on nectar, spiders, sap and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

● Song: "chip", "chick", "chitter chitter chitter"

● Foraging & Feeding: Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Feeds on floral nectar and small insects. Dominated by other hummingbirds on wintering grounds and often forced to forage on less preferred flowers.

● Breeding & nesting: Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Two white eggs are laid in a woven cup nest made of lichens and plant down. Incubation ranges from 14 to 17 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird has deeper red throat and black mask. Female has white stripe behind eye, as opposed to brown stripe of female Rufous and Allen's hummingbirds.

Flight Pattern

Hovers when feeding., Swift, dashing direct flight.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Breeds in the mountains from eastern California and northern Wyoming through the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain states to southern Arizona and western Texas. Spends winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include mountain meadows, pinyon-juniper woodlands, dry ponderosa pines, fir or mixed forests, and canyon vegetation.
BreedingSolitary nester, Promiscuous
PopulationCommon in range during summer
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.1 Ounces