Types of Hummingbirds Guide

Hummingbirds are easily the world’s cutest birds. But don’t you dare tell them that! Although they are small in size, these tiny winged jewels are agile fliers known for their pluck. In fact, they are often observed fearlessly defending their nests and food sources from much larger creatures.

Hummingbirds are also some of nature’s most beautiful birds, with males of most species adorned with vibrantly colored iridescent plumage that sparkles in sunlight. Most feed predominantly on flower nectar, adding a few bugs here and there for protein.

These adorable birds are found only in the New World, with most of the 361 known species living in the tropics. Keep reading to learn more about these tiny birds including what makes them unique, where they live, and how to identify key hummingbird groups.

Characteristics of Hummingbirds

While there are a lot of different hummingbirds out there flitting around, there are a few general characteristics that all hummers share.

Small Size

Most hummingbirds have small bodies. In fact, the world’s smallest living bird is a hummingbird!

The appropriately named Bee Hummingbird measures about two inches long and weighs less than 0.07 ounces, indeed appearing more like a large insect than a bird as it darts from flower to flower. To give you an idea of just how tiny this species is, a Bee Hummingbird’s nest is smaller than a quarter.

Even the largest hummingbird – the Giant Hummingbird – is only nine inches in length. And it still comes in at less than an ounce.

Unique Flight

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of all hummingbirds is their unique, whirring flight. In fact, the humming sound produced by their rapid wingbeats is what inspired their name. Hummingbird wings often move so fast that they appear blurry to the human eye, beating up to a remarkable 88 times per second in some species.

Hummingbirds can fly in all directions – even upside down – an ability that certainly comes in handy while traveling from flower to flower and avoiding predators.

They pivot their wings at their wrists in figure-eight patterns, similar to how many insects fly. This enables them to conserve energy by taking advantage of the natural elastic recoil of their wing muscles.

They can also fly exceptionally fast – Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been clocked at up to 63 miles per hour – but can also hover in place while feeding or investigating.

Exceptional Vision

Hummingbirds rely on their excellent eyesight to locate food sources, rivals, and mates. It’s by far their most important sense since only a few hummingbird species are skilled vocalists. Good visual processing abilities also allow hummingbirds to accurately study their surroundings while hovering or flying at high rates of speed.

While seemingly tiny, hummingbird eyes are actually larger than those of most birds when compared to their head size. They have large corneas, which allow them to take in as much light as possible even in low-light settings. This is what enables some species to migrate at night.

Hummingbird eyes also possess a fourth cone – that is, a specialized cell optimized for detecting color – meaning they can see more colors than we can with our three cones. Such advanced vision likely makes it easier for them to locate flowers and judge the iridescent plumage of mates and rivals in the ultraviolet spectrum.

Nectar Diet

Hummingbirds have one of the highest metabolisms of any animal. They are specialized nectar feeders, relying on frequent doses of high-energy sugar to power their rapid flight.

To access nectar, hummingbirds use their long bills to insert their even longer, extendable tongues into flowers and lap the sugary fluid. Capillary action then pulls the nectar up small grooves in their tongues automatically.

When not in use, hummingbirds pull their tongues back in where they coil around the back of their skulls until the next feeding.

Hummingbirds have evolved closely with the flowers they feed on in a process known as co-evolution. Plants benefit from hummingbird visitations, as the birds can spread pollen from one plant to another. Over time, some hummingbird and plant species have become closely linked.

In the tropics, many hummingbird species have evolved bills uniquely suited to feeding on the flowers of a particular species of plant. In general, hummingbird-pollinated plants have long, tubular flowers and lack a strong scent.

Nearly all species will also drink sugar water if offered in a feeder. Hummingbirds also supplement their sugary diet with insects and spiders to add a protein boost. This is especially important during nesting and migration.

Iridescent Plumage

Most hummingbirds feature at least some plumage iridescence, that is, shiny and reflective feathers that change color when viewed from different angles.

Structural components within the feathers give hummingbirds their jewel-like shine, essentially magnifying certain wavelengths. Hummingbird iridescence can display all the colors of the rainbow – sometimes in a single species!

Such iridescence is especially spectacular in male hummingbirds. Males of most species boast iridescent crown (head) and gorget (throat) feathers. These shiny feathers can be raised or lowered as needed to direct their glow at a rival or would-be mate for maximum effect.

Behavior

Due to their high metabolisms, hummingbirds spend much of their time alternating between feeding and digesting. Males of most species also devote a large portion of their day to defending a preferred nectar source. During the breeding season, hummingbirds engage in some truly unique behaviors.

In most species, female hummingbirds do all the work when it comes to raising young. They select a nest site, build a nest out of soft materials and spider silk, and incubate the two eggs. When the young hatch, females perform all feeding and care until they fledge.

Males, meanwhile, aggressively guard nectar sources like flower patches and feeders, battling rival males and attempting to woo approaching females with elaborate displays and sometimes vocalizations.

Complex Displays

Male hummingbirds of most species perform elaborate courtship displays that double as intimidation tactics as needed. These displays are often steep dives, the shape and sound of which is unique to each species. On occasion, females will also perform displays.

Should a dive prove alluring to a female, males will then perform a close-range shuttle display that usually involves swinging in a pendulum-like motion in front of a perched female with their gorgets flared. Successful shuttle displays end in copulation. Males often mate with many females over the course of a breeding season.

Vocalizations and Sounds

A few species – such as Anna’s Hummingbirds and Blue-throated Hummingbirds – are skilled singers, producing a squeaky, metallic series of notes to declare their territories and impress females.

Others, like the Rufous Hummingbird, produce a characteristic trill with their wings as they fly. This species-specific whirring noise functions in much the same way as a songbird’s song, letting rivals and potential mates know they are in the area.

During displays, many species produce non-vocal sounds using modified tail feathers. Anna’s Hummingbirds, for example, issue a loud squeak with their outer tail feathers at the bottom of their display dives.

Still others – like the Blue-throated Hummingbird – can use ultrasonic songs to flush out insects while foraging.

Sexual Dimorphism

With a few notable exceptions, most hummingbird species are sexually dimorphic – that is, males and females look significantly different.

In some cases, males are larger than females and in others, the opposite is true. In a select few groups – like the hermits – the sexes appear nearly identical in size and coloration.

In most cases, males have brighter plumage than females, which must rely on camouflage while incubating eggs and tending young. Males, meanwhile, use their jewel-like plumage to perform elaborate displays to ward off rivals and attract an endless stream of mates.

Many hummingbird species also hybridize, meaning males and females of closely related species – and sometimes even different genera – may breed, which can make identification complicated.

Torpor

Hummingbirds must feed often – every few minutes – to support their high metabolic rates. Since this is not always possible, hummingbirds can enter a state of temporary dormancy called torpor to conserve energy. This is especially handy at night or in cold weather when feeding isn’t possible.

While in torpor, hummingbirds drop their body temperatures by as much as 50%, slow their heart rates from 1,250 beats per minute to 50 beats per minute, and reduce their activity to just about zero. When conditions improve, they can slowly reactivate themselves to normal metabolic levels and resume foraging.

Migration

Many species of hummingbirds migrate seasonally. Hummers that spend summers in North America, like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, travel to warmer regions like the southeastern United States and Mexico for the winter.

The Rufous Hummingbird undergoes one of the longest migrations in the hummingbird world, traveling from as far north as Alaska south to Central Mexico and back each year.

Likewise, southern South American species migrate north to warmer regions during the cold season. The majority of hummingbirds live in the equatorial tropics and have no need to migrate but will occasionally disperse to other areas or travel up and down in elevation to follow bloom times.

Where Do Hummingbirds Live?

Today, hummingbirds are only found in the New World though fossils indicate they once lived in Europe. Most species live in warm tropical forests.

Habitat

Hummingbirds can be found in a range of habitats from deserts to urban gardens to alpine meadows. But most species live in humid tropical and subtropical forests of the equatorial region where flowers are plentiful year-round.

Distribution

Hummingbirds can be found throughout North America, South America, Central America, and Mexico. They also inhabit many Caribbean islands. The majority of species live in southern Mexico, Central America, and South America and only a relative few venture into the northern regions.

Hummingbird Taxonomy

Hummingbirds are closely related to the insect-feeding swifts and treeswifts of the family Apodidae and are classified alongside them within the order Apodiformes. They likely split from Apodidae around 42 million years ago.

Hummingbirds once lived in Europe, but today only live in the New World, with all modern hummingbirds originating from a South American lineage around 22 million years ago.

Hummingbirds diversified – that is, evolved a great variety of forms – relatively quickly, likely due to nectar specialization and co-evolution with plant species. Today, there are around 361 species of hummingbirds in the family Trochilidae.

Family Trochilidae

All hummingbirds fall within the family Trochilidae, which includes 361 species in its 113 genera. To better demonstrate genetic relationships between the species, the family is divided into six subfamilies: Florisuginae, Phaethornithinae, Polytminae, Lesbiinae, Patagoninae, and Triochilinae.

The subfamily Lesbiinae is further divided into two tribes: Heliantheini and Lesbiini. The subfamily Trochilinae is further divided into three tribes: Lampornithini, Mellisugini, and Trochilini.

Hummingbird Taxonomy at a Glance

• Order: Apodiformes (swifts, treeswifts, and hummingbirds)
• Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
• Subfamily: Florisuginae (topazes and jacobins)
• Subfamily: Phaethornithinae (hermits, barbthroats, and sicklebills)
• Subfamily: Polytminae (mangoes, visorbearers, violetears, lancebills, caribs, daggerbills, goldenthroats, fairies, sungems, awlbills)
• Subfamily: Lesbiinae (brilliants and coquettes)
• Tribe: Heliantheini (brilliants, pufflegs, incas, starfrontlets, sunbeams, coronets, racket-tails, hillstars, whitetips, sapphirewings, spatuletails, velvetbreasts)
• Tribe: Lesbiini (coquettes, sunangels, metaltails, hillstars, thornbills, thorntails, bearded helmetcrests, sylphs, firecrowns, piedtails, trainbearers, avocetbills, mountaineers, comets)
• Subfamily: Patagoninae (Giant Hummingbird)
• Subfamily: Trochilinae (mountaingems, bees, and emeralds)
• Tribe: Lampornithini (mountaingems and starthroats)
• Tribe: Mellisugini (bees, sheartails, woodstars)
• Tribe: Trochilini (emeralds, blossomcrowns, plovercrests, plumeleteers, sapphires, sabrewings, streamertails, woodnymphs)

Subfamily Florisuginae

The subfamily Florisuginae contains four species in its two genera: Topaza (topazes) and Florisuga (jacobins). They are the most ancient branch of living hummingbirds. These are South American hummers, found from the Amazon Basin to Argentina.

Topazes (Genus Topaza)

Topazes are some of the largest hummingbirds, with males measuring about 8.75 inches long. Males are quite dazzling, with iridescent red and gold plumage, black hoods, shiny green gorgets, and two long tail feathers. The smaller females are mostly green and do not have elongated tail feathers.

Topazes live in the tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Suriname, and Venezuela, often near water. They feed on the flowers of epiphytes and vines high in the canopy.

Males perform display flights in which they flash their white-feathered legs and sing a simple song of repeated notes. There are two species in the genus Topaza.

List of Species

• Crimson Topaz (Topaza pella)
• Fiery Topaz (Topaza pyra)

Jacobins (Genus Florisuga)

Jacobins are subtly beautiful, with their dark black, bronze, and blue iridescence punctuated by white markings. They are considered medium-sized hummingbirds and males and females are similar in size, with males averaging slightly heavier.

Like the topazes, they primarily live in the canopy of tropical rainforests but will also venture into open areas like coffee plantations, nectaring on the flowers of epiphytes, bromeliads, and shrubs. Males are fairly quiet but do sing a simple song. They ruthlessly defend food sources.

Jacobins live in Central and South America and can be found from southern Mexico to Argentina. There are two species in the genus Florisuga, which is Latin for “flower sucker.”

List of Species

• Black Jacobin (Florisuga fuscus)
• White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)

Subfamily Phaethornithinae

The subfamily Phaethornithinae contains 37 species in its six genera, the majority of which are hermits. Most species have close associations with the specific plants on which they feed. Phaethornithids are trap-line feeders, repeatedly visiting a regular selection of nectar sources each day.

Hummingbirds of this subfamily are less colorful than others, with most featuring Earth-toned plumage of greens, grays, and browns and less iridescence. Males and females are similar in size and plumage, which is unusual among hummers.

They live in tropical and subtropical forests and can be found in southern Mexico, Central America, and south to northern Argentina in South America.

Hermits (Genera Anopetia, Glaucis, Phaethornis, and Ramphodon)

Hermits are known for their subtle coloration – typically featuring plumage in shades of green, gray, and brown with minimal iridescence – and their close associations with the flowers of Heliconia.

Many hermits have long, decurved bills specifically adapted to feeding on their preferred flowers. They typically live in the undergrowth of forests and are often found at forest edges, sometimes venturing into the open.

Male hermits are less aggressive than other hummers, but will still guard favorite food sources. During the breeding season, many hermits form leks, where several males gather and display. Observing females can then take their pick of a mate. Hermits are also known for their complex songs – another unusual trait among hummingbirds.

Hermits can be found from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. There is one species in the genus Anopetia, three species in the genus Glaucis, 32 species in the genus Phaethornis, and one species in the genus Ramphodon. The IUCN lists the Hook-billed Hermit and Tapajós Hermit as Vulnerable and the Koepcke’s Hermit as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Broad-tipped Hermit (Anopetia gounellei)
• Bronzy Hermit (Glaucis aenea)
• Hook-billed Hermit (Glaucis dohrnii)
• Rufous-breasted Hermit (Glaucis hirsuta)
• Tapajós Hermit (Phaethornis aethopyga)
• Pale-bellied Hermit (Phaethornis anthophilus)
• Black-throated Hermit (Phaethornis atrimentalis)
• Sooty-capped Hermit (Phaethornis augusti)
• Straight-billed Hermit (Phaethornis bourcieri)
• Scale-throated Hermit (Phaethornis eurynome)
• Gray-chinned Hermit (Phaethornis griseogularis)
• Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy)
• White-bearded Hermit (Phaethornis hispidus)
• Minute Hermit (Phaethornis idaliae)
• Koepcke’s Hermit (Phaethornis koepckeae)
• Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
• Little Hermit (Phaethornis longuemareus)
• Great-billed Hermit (Phaethornis malaris)
• Mexican Hermit (Phaethornis mexicanus)
• Cinnamon-throated Hermit (Phaethornis nattereri)
• Planalto Hermit (Phaethornis pretrei)
• Needle-billed Hermit (Phaethornis philippii)
• Reddish Hermit (Phaethornis ruber)
• Streak-throated Hermit (Phaethornis rupurumii)
• Dusky-throated Hermit (Phaethornis squalidus)
• Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis)
• White-browed Hermit (Phaethornis stuarti)
• Buff-bellied Hermit (Phaethornis subochraceus)
• Tawny-bellied Hermit (Phaethornis syrmatophorus)
• Long-tailed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus)
• White-whiskered Hermit (Phaethornis yaruqui)
• Saw-billed Hermit (Ramphodon naevius)

Sicklebills (Genus Eutoxeres)

Sicklebills are named for their strongly decurved bills, the top mandible of which is black and the bottom of which is yellow. Their bills are perfectly suited to feeding on the flowers of Heliconia and Centropogon, which they dangle from as they feed.

Like other hummingbirds of this subfamily, sicklebills have fairly drab plumage – mainly Earth-toned brown and green with white streaks – and males and females are nearly identical in size and plumage.

Male sicklebills put on quite a show during the breeding season, displaying in leks and performing U-shaped dives for onlooking females. They are also accomplished singers.

Sicklebills live in the undergrowth of tropical and mountain evergreen forests but also inhabit some open areas like plantations.

They can be found in northern South America in Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil and the Buff-tailed Sicklebill can be found as far north as Costa Rica. There are two species in the genus Eutoxeres.

List of Species

• White-tipped Sicklebill (Eutoxeres aquila)
• Buff-tailed Sicklebill (Eutoxeres condamini)

Barbthroats (Genus Threnetes)

Barbthroats are medium-sized hummingbirds with relatively drab coloration, black and white markings near their eyes, and decurved bills.

They have a preference for flowers of the genus Heliconia, but will also accept other tropical flowers and will even pierce small holes at the base of some flowers and rob them of their nectar.

Like other hummers of this subfamily, male and female barbthroats are similar in size and colorations. Males are adept singers, sometimes even throwing in a few trills.

Barbthroats prefer forest understories and edges but will also forage in open habitats so long as there is some cover. They primarily live in northern South America, though the Band-tailed Barbthroat can be found in Central America as well. There are three species in the genus Threnetes.

List of Species

• Pale-tailed Barbthroat (Threnetes leucurus)
• Sooty Barbthroat (Threnetes niger)
• Band-tailed Barbthroat (Threnetes ruckeri)

Subfamily Polytminae

The subfamily Polytminae contains 30 species in its 12 genera. Its largest genus is Anthracothorax, commonly known as the mangoes. Hummingbirds of this subfamily are trap-line nectar feeders but are considerably more insectivorous than other hummers.

Tooth-billed Hummingbird (Genus Androdon)

The genus Androdon contains one species: The Tooth-billed Hummingbird. It is named for the tooth-like serrations on its bill, which it uses to pull insects and spiders from hidden locations.

Tooth-billed Hummingbirds are pretty drab, with both males and females adorned with dull, Earth-toned plumage. Males are a little brighter and feature an iridescent copper crown.

Little is known about this elusive hummer’s breeding behavior, but it’s thought that they display in leks.

This species prefers to forage in the lower canopy of humid forests, trap-line feeding on the flowers of many plant species. It lives in northern South America in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama.

List of Species

• Tooth-billed Hummingbird (Androdon aequatorialis)

Mangoes (Genus Anthracothorax)

Anthracothorax means “coal chested” in Ancient Greek and this is certainly an appropriate name for these shiny-breasted hummingbirds.

Mangoes are medium-sized hummers with slightly decurved bills. Males are slightly larger and more vibrantly colored than their female counterparts. They are striking birds, featuring iridescent chests and gorgets of jade green and dark blue with a few species also having magenta tail feathers.

Mangoes forage in tall flowering trees and males aggressively defend the best nectar spots. They also eat a lot more insects than other hummingbirds, often snagging them right out of the air. Some species nest year-round and others are migratory.

Most mangoes live in forests and nectar on flowers near the canopy but a few frequent more open areas. Mangoes can be found in southern Mexico, Central America, South America, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico and a few species even venture as far north as the United States.

There are eight species in the genus Anthracothorax.

List of Species

• Puerto Rican Mango (Anthracothorax aurulentus)
• Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus)
• Jamaican Mango (Anthracothorax mango)
• Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis)
• Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii)
• Veraguan Mango (Anthracothorax veraguensis)
• Green-throated Mango (Anthracothorax viridigula)
• Green Mango (Anthracothorax viridis)

Visorbearers (Genus Augastes)

Visorbearers are small hummingbirds with dark violet and blue facial markings and a white collar. They are beautiful hummingbirds and are popular with bird-watchers the world over.

Males are brightly colored with emerald green iridescence throughout their plumage and bright gorget spots on their upper chests. Females are predominantly green and bronze and feature less iridescence.

Visorbearers feed low to the ground, taking nectar from many different plants including cacti. Males sing a dry, nasally song while females build nests of cactus spines and wool.

Unlike other tropical hummingbirds, visorbearers prefer open, rocky semi-arid habitats with low-growing plants. They are found at only a few locations in the Brazilian state of Bahia.

Because they have small ranges, visorbearers are considered near threatened and care must be taken to conserve these unique birds.

There are two species in the genus Augastes. The IUCN lists the Hooded Visorbearer as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Hooded Visorbearer (Augastes lumachella)
• Hyacinth Visorbearer (Augastes scutatus)

Fiery-tailed Awlbill (Genus Avocettula)

There is one species in the genus Avocettula: The Fiery-tailed Awlbill. Named for its upturned bill – which resembles that of an avocet – the Fiery-tailed Awlbill is a truly unique hummingbird.

Male Fiery-tailed Awlbills are a dazzling emerald green with black spots in the center of their chests and tails that are violet above and copper below. Females are drabber.

Awlbills use their upturned bills to rob nectar from flowers and catch insects. They forage in open grassland clearings within forests or near forest edges, often near rivers and outcrops of granite.

They can be found in South America in southeastern Venezuela, northern Brazil, and in the Guianas.

List of Species

• Fiery-tailed Awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris)

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Genus Chrysolampis)

There is one species in the genus Chrysolampis: The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird.

Male Ruby Topazes are truly remarkable, with dark brown iridescent body plumage, a golden yellow gorget and bib, and a red crown. They have relatively short bills.

These hummers will accept nectar from many different plants but prefer those with the highest sugar content – such as the flowers of the samaan trees and genus Ixora. Males sing a simple song.

Ruby Topazes prefer dry slopes and open savannah habitats but will also explore gardens, much to the delight of their tenders. They can be found across much of northeastern South America.

List of Species

• Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus)

Violetears (Genus Colibri)

Violetears are medium to large hummingbirds named for the males’ indigo-blue facial markings, which can be raised and lowered to reflect their moods. Most are glittering jade green with darker markings. Females resemble slightly toned-down versions of males.

These hummers are vicious defenders of nectar sources and are known for being even more fearless than most. They accept nectar from a wide variety of sources, including feeders, and readily supplement their diet with insects.

Male violetears sing loud and complex songs which include a long series of high-pitched notes and warbles.

Violetears inhabit a variety of habitats, from humid cloud forests to clearings and gardens. They prefer to feed in the mid-level of forests, sometimes zipping up to the canopy.

They can be found in Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America, sometimes finding their way as far north as the United States. There are five species in the genus Colibri.

List of Species

• Sparkling Violetear (Colibri coruscans)
• Lesser Violetear (Colibri cyanotus)
• Brown Violetear (Colibri delphinae)
• White-vented Violetear (Colibri serrirostris)
• Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)

Lancebills (Genus Doryfera)

Lancebills are named for their exceptionally long lance-like bills, which curve slightly up. In fact, the genus name Doryfera means “spear bearer.” Both males and females feature these lancebills, which they hold oriented upward while perched.

Female lancebills are slightly larger than males and can feature similarly dazzling plumage. Lancebills have drab body plumage but striking iridescent blue or green foreheads and coppery napes.

Lancebills feed mostly on epiphytes and flowers with long corollas for which their bills are well-suited in the middle canopy. They have very specific habitat requirements, preferring well-established mid-elevation tropical and subtropical forests near fast streams.

They can be found in southern Central America and northeastern South America. There are two species in the genus Doryfera.

List of Species

• Blue-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera johannae)
• Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae)

Caribs (Genus Eulampis)

The genus name Eulampis translates to “bright shining” in Ancient Greek and certainly suits the caribs.

Both male and female caribs feature dazzling green and purple iridescent feathers on most of their bodies and colorful gorgets of green or violet depending on the species, though males are slightly more vibrant.

Unlike most hummingbirds, the sexes are physically similar, though, curiously, females have slightly longer and more decurved bills.

Caribs feed on the flowers of tall trees about in the middle of the forest canopy, supplementing their diet with insects. They prefer to live in forests but will forage in gardens and parks as well.

Caribs are native to the islands of the Caribbean. There are two species in the genus Eulampis.

List of Species

• Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)
• Purple-throated Carib (Eulampis jugularis)

Horned Sungem (Genus Heliactin)

There is one species in the genus Heliactin: The Horned Sungem. So named for the feather tuft “horns” of the male, the medium-sized Horned Sungem is one of the most distinctive hummingbirds out there.

In addition to the two red, gold, and yellow horns behind their eyes, male Horned Sungems are strikingly marked with a black face and gorget, a dangling patch of dark feathers below the gorget that resembles a tie, a dark blue iridescent crown, a bronze rump, a long tail, and a white breast. Females are plainer overall and lack the black markings and horns.

Horned Sungems are migratory in parts of their range, following seasonal blooms. They accept a wide variety of flowers. Males have a distinctive chatter series, which they issue during combat.

These unique hummingbirds live in open forests, grasslands, and gardens at low elevations. It can be found Bolivia, Suriname, and southern Brazil.

List of Species

• Horned Sungem (Heliactin bilophus)

Fairies (Genus Heliothryx)

Fairies belong to the genus Heliothryx, which means “sun hair” in Ancient Greek. Both male and female fairies have iridescent emerald green backs and wings and white underparts.

Males have shining purple foreheads with violet spots behind their eyes while females have green crowns and lack other markings. Both sexes have long tails. Despite not being territorial, they are aggressive toward other hummingbirds.

Fairies feed mostly on nectar, often poking holes at the bases of flowers to rob nectar. Both species also eat insects, though only the Black-eared Fairy catches them out of the air.

Fairies live in forests and at their edges, foraging at the mid-level of the canopy. They can be found throughout southeastern Mexico, Central America, and South America. There are two species in the genus Heliothryx.

List of Species

• Black-eared Fairy (Heliothryx auritus)
• Purple-crowned Fairy (Heliothryx barroti)

Goldenthroats (Genus Polytmus)

The genus name Polytmus roughly translates to “expensive” or “valuable” in Ancient Greek. Indeed, goldenthroats are deserving of this name as they are quite attractive birds.

Goldenthroats are medium-sized hummingbirds with long tails, and females are slightly smaller than males. Males are mostly iridescent green with accents of bronze and yellow in some species. Females are drabber.

Goldenthroats forage on a variety of flowers near the ground and also eat insects. They are fairly vocal, often calling as they feed. They live in open areas like grasslands, forest edges, and shrubby expanses.

These hummingbirds can be found across most of northern South America. There are three species in the genus Polytmus.

List of Species

• White-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi)
• Tepui Goldenthroat (Polytmus milleri)
• Green-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus theresiae)

Daggerbills (Genus Schistes)

Though it is hard to see, these tiny hummingbirds are named for their sharp-pointed, tapering bills. Male daggerbills are iridescent bronze throughout with golden gorgets flanked by purple and white chests and eyebrows. Females are a slightly drabber version of this.

Daggerbills accept nectar from a wide variety of flowers and also eats insects, foraging near the ground or up to mid-levels in forests. They prefer to live in dense cloudforests near streams.

Perched males sing a simple buzzy song. Owing to their inaccessible preferred habitat, not much is known about daggerbills.

These hummingbirds are found exclusively in the cloudforests of western South America. There are two species in the genus Schistes.

List of Species

• White-throated Daggerbill (Schistes albogularis)
• Geoffroy’s Daggerbill (Schistes geoffroyi)

Subfamily Lesbiinae

The subfamily Lesbiinae contains 120 species in its 32 genera. The subfamily is further split into two tribes: Heliantheini (brilliants) and Lesbiini (coquettes).

Tribe Heliantheini

The tribe Heliantheini contains 53 species in its 14 genera. They are commonly referred to as brilliants after one of the tribe’s largest genera.

Brilliants (Genus Heliodoxa)

In Ancient Greek, the genus name Heliodoxa translates to “sun glory.” A truly fitting name for the medium-sized brilliants as most males of the genus are almost completely iridescent.

Female brilliants are smaller than males, but still feature quite a bit of iridescence in their plumage. Brilliants are less territorial than other hummers but will still stand their ground as needed. They issue repeated single notes when singing and feeding.

Brilliants typically forage in the middle to uppermost regions of the forest, with many species perching or clinging to vines and other flowers to feed rather than hovering.

These hummingbirds live in mature forests. They are found in the tropical regions of South America with a few species occurring in Central America. There are ten species in the genus Heliodoxa.

List of Species

• Gould’s Jewelfront (Heliodoxa aurescens)
• Rufous-webbed Brilliant (Heliodoxa branickii)
• Pink-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis)
• Empress Brilliant (Heliodoxa imperatrix)
• Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula)
• Violet-fronted Brilliant (Heliodoxa leadbeateri)
• Fawn-breasted Brilliant (Heliodoxa rubinoides)
• Brazilian Ruby (Heliodoxa rubricauda)
• Black-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa schreibersii)
• Velvet-browed Brilliant (Heliodoxa xanthogonys)

Coronets (Genus Boissonneaua)

Coronets range in color from iridescent green and brown to striking black, purple, and emerald. Females are similar to males – their plumage colors are nearly identical but slightly muted.

All coronets exhibit an unusual behavior: right after perching or clinging to a flower to feed, they hold their wings open, showing off their rusty underwings. This is often helpful in identifying the genus.

They forage at all levels of the forest, viciously defending ideal patches of flowers. Coronets prefer wet forests but on occasion will accept open shrublands.

Coronets are native to northwestern South America. There are three species in the genus Boissonneaua.

List of Species

• Buff-tailed Coronet (Boissonneaua flavescens)
• Velvet-purple Coronet (Boissonneaua jardini)
• Chestnut-breasted Coronet (Boissonneaua matthewsii)

Great Sapphirewing (Genus Pterophanes)

There is one species in the genus Pterophanes: The Great Sapphirewing. This remarkable bird is one of the largest hummingbirds, measuring up to 7.5 inches in length. Males are larger than females.

Males have blue-green iridescent backs, shiny blue wings, and blue breasts. Females are primarily iridescent green above with rusty hues on their underparts. Both males and females have a white spot behind their eyes.

Despite their large size, Great Sapphirewings typically feed on small flowers at lower elevations. They live in humid evergreen forests, shrubby slopes, and occasionally in higher elevation shrublands.

Great Sapphirewings are found in northwestern South America in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

List of Species

• Great Sapphirewing (Pterophanes cyanopterus)

Hillstars (Genus Urochroa)

The genus name Urochroa means “colorful tail” in Ancient Greek. Hillstar males and females are nearly identical – a rare trait among hummingbirds.

Their outer tail feathers are black or gray while the middle feathers are white and gray or rusty. This patchwork quilt effect is likely responsible for the genus name. Their gorgets are a deep shining blue while their crowns are iridescent green.

Hillstars feed at all levels of the forest but have a preference for flowers of certain plant genera over others. When they find a good patch, they will defend it aggressively.

Hillstars live in mountain forests and on shrubby slopes near streams. They live in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia. There are two species in the genus Urochroa.

List of Species

• Rufous-gaped Hillstar (Urochroa bougueri)
• Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura)

Incas and Starfrontlets (Genus Coeligena)

Hummingbirds of the genus Coeligena are typically unusually patterned in some way. Males and females are quite similar, but females average slightly smaller and feature less iridescence.

Some – like the Collared Inca – are boldly patterned in shining black and white while others – like the Rainbow Starfrontlet – are a glorious mix of iridescent brown on their bodies with all the colors of the rainbow on their crowns. A few species, like the Violet-throated Starfrontlet, have melodic songs.

Incas and starfrontlet are mainly trap-line feeders, often seeking out epiphytes or red, tubular flowers. They forage in humid cloudforests, gardens, forest edges, and shrubby riparian areas.

These hummingbirds can be found in tropical regions of northwestern South America in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, and Venezuela.

There are 11 species in the genus Coeligena. The IUCN lists the Dusky Starfrontlet as Endangered, the Black Inca as Vulnerable, and the White-tailed Starfrontlet as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Golden-bellied Starfrontlet (Coeligena bonapartei)
• Bronzy Inca (Coeligena coeligena)
• Blue-fronted Starfrontlet (Coeligena helianthea)
• Rainbow Starfrontlet (Coeligena iris)
• Buff-winged Starfrontlet (Coeligena lutetiae)
• Dusky Starfrontlet (Coeligena orina)
• White-tailed Starfrontlet (Coeligena phalerata)
• Black Inca (Coeligena prunellei)
• Collared Inca (Coeligena torquata)
• Violet-throated Starfrontlet (Coeligena violifer)
• Brown Inca (Coeligena wilsoni)

Marvelous Spatuletail (Genus Loddigesia)

There is one species in the genus Loddigesia: The Marvelous Spatuletail. This hummingbird is indeed marvelous. Males of the species have long tail feather shafts that end in big, round disks called spatules that are shiny purple. In flight, these tail feathers crisscross.

Males also have striking iridescent blue crests, white breasts, and blue-green gorgets bordered by chestnut. Females have long tail feathers, but lack the spatules and crests of the male. Both sexes have green backs and slightly decurved bills. Males perform elaborate aerial displays in which they produce a buzzy call.

Despite their appearance, Marvelous Spatuletails are rather timid and are easily overpowered by other hummingbirds. They prefer the nectar of a few plants, especially the red-flowered lily (Bomarea formosissima).

Marvelous Spatuletails live at only two locations in northern Peru, preferring thorny thickets, shrublands, and forest edges. The Marvelous Spatuletail is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

List of Species

• Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)

Mountain Velvetbreast (Genus Lafresnaya)

There is one species in the genus Lafresnaya: The Mountain Velvetbreast. Males of this species are primarily emerald green but feature a prominent velvety black spot on their lower chests. Females look similar but lack the black chest spot. Both sexes have slightly decurved bills.

Mountain Velvetbreasts prefer to sip nectar from a select few tubular flowers. Males viciously defend such patches while females move from patch-to-patch trap-lining.

This species lives at the edges of mountain forests and on shrubby slopes in Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

List of Species

• Mountain Velvetbreast (Lafresnaya lafresnayi)

Pufflegs (Genera Eriocnemis and Haplophaedia)

Pufflegs are named for the dense feathers on their legs, which give them the impression they are wearing white ski pants – or, in the case of one species, black pants. In fact, one naturalist referred to them as “snowy panties.” Both males and females have these bizarre leg tufts.

Otherwise, males are a mix of iridescent blue, green, and copper while females are toned-down versions of their male counterparts. They also have colorful vents – patches on the underside of their tails – and forked tails.

Pufflegs forage for nectar and insects near the ground in thick, densely vegetated areas. They mostly live in cloudforests, at forest edges, in mountain scrub, and anywhere there is some plant cover.

These unique birds can be found in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.

There are 14 species of pufflegs in two genera: Eriocnemis and Haplophaedia. Three species – the Colorful Puffleg, Black-breasted Puffleg, and Gorgeted Puffleg – are Critically Endangered and the Turquoise-throated Puffleg might be extinct.

List of Species

• Emerald-bellied Puffleg (Eriocnemis aline)
• Coppery-bellied Puffleg (Eriocnemis cupreoventris)
• Black-thighed Puffleg (Eriocnemis derbyi)
• Blue-capped Puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides)
• Turquoise-throated Puffleg (Eriocnemis godini) (possibly extinct)
• Gorgeted Puffleg (Eriocnemis isabellae)
• Sapphire-vented Puffleg (Eriocnemis luciani)
• Colorful Puffleg (Eriocnemis mirabilis)
• Golden-breasted Puffleg (Eriocnemis mosquera)
• Black-breasted Puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis)
• Glowing Puffleg (Eriocnemis vestita)
• Greenish Puffleg (Haplophaedia aureliae)
• Buff-thighed Puffleg (Haplophaedia assimilis)
• Hoary Puffleg (Haplophaedia lugens)

Racket-tails (Genus Ocreatus)

Racket-tails are named for the two long tail feathers of the males, which extend several inches past their bodies and each end in a round feather called a racket. In addition, male racket-tails are almost completely covered in green iridescent plumage.

Female racket-tails are drab by comparison but do feature some green iridescence on their backs. They lack the long tail feathers of their male counterparts.

Racket-tails search for flowers between 20 and 60 feet above the ground. They inhabit open forests and the edges of dense forests at high elevations. They can be found in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, and Venezuela.

There are three species in the genus Ocreatus.

List of Species

• Rufous-booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus addae)
• Peruvian Racket-tail (Ocreatus peruanus)
• White-booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii)

Sunbeams (Genus Aglaeactis)

While perhaps not as immediately flashy as other hummingbirds, a closer inspection will reveal that sunbeams are a study in subtle beauty.

Males are mostly a shining dark brown but feature iridescent silver, gold, and purple on their rumps. Females are similar but lack strong iridescence. They have short black bills and most species also have some white markings on their upper breasts.

Sunbeams feed at all levels of the forest, accepting a wide variety of flowers and small insects. They cling to flowers rather than hovering and often snag flying insects out of the air.

These medium-sized hummers live in high-elevation cloudforests and semi-arid mountain scrublands. They can be found in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

There are four species in the genus Aglaeactis. The IUCN lists the Purple-backed Sunbeam as Vulnerable and the White-tufted Sunbeam as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Purple-backed Sunbeam (Aglaeactis aliciae)
• White-tufted Sunbeam (Aglaeactis castelnaudii)
• Shining Sunbeam (Aglaeactis cupripennis)
• Black-hooded Sunbeam (Aglaeactis pamela)

Sword-billed Hummingbird (Genus Ensifera)

There is one species in the genus Ensifera: The Sword-billed Hummingbird. At up to 3.5 inches long, the swordbill is one of the largest hummingbirds – and that’s not including its bill, which is an impressive 3.1 to 4.7 inches long

In fact, the Sword-billed Hummingbird has the longest bill with respect to body length of any bird. Their bills are so heavy they must perch with their heads tilted upward to ease the burden and preen with their feet.

Both male and female swordbills have long bills but the female’s is slightly longer. Otherwise, males of the species feature metallic green, copper, and bronze iridescence with females appearing slightly more subdued.

Swordbills use their long bills to feed on tubular flowers too long for most other hummingbirds to access – a definite advantage. They are specialist feeders, preferring these hard-to-reach flowers over others.

Evidence suggests that they have coevolved with Passiflora mixta – a species of passionflower – to the point that the plant would be in trouble without swordbills to pollinate it.

Swordbills live in higher-elevation humid forests, mountain forests, scrubland, and gardens where their preferred flowers are available. The species travels up and down in elevation seasonally to locate blooms.

The species is native to the Andes Mountains of Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Bolivia.

List of Species

• Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)

Whitetips (Genus Urosticte)

Whitetips are named for the bright central tail spot of the males, created by their white-tipped central tail feathers. Male whitetips are almost completely covered in dark emerald green iridescent plumage, with additional colorful markings depending on the species.

Females are also shiny emerald green but are lighter below and drabber overall. They also lack the central white tail spot.

Whitetips forage deep in the forest, taking nectar from a variety of plants and supplementing their diet with small insects. Males sing a song that sounds like tinkling laughter.

They live in humid cloudforests and mountain forests in the Andes Mountains of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. There are two species in the genus Urosticte.

List of Species

• Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Urosticte benjamini)
• Rufous-vented Whitetip (Urosticte ruficrissa)

Tribe Lesbiini

The tribe Lesbiini contains 67 species in its 18 genera. They are commonly referred to as coquettes after members of Lophornis, the tribe’s largest genus.

Bearded Mountaineer (Genus Oreonympha)

There is one species in the genus Oreonympha: The Bearded Mountaineer. Bearded Mountaineers are relatively large for hummingbirds, with some individuals measuring up to 6.5 inches in length.

Males are distinctive, with purple and blue foreheads, a green and orange gorget, and black masks that extend into a long black bib that contrasts with their white breasts. They have iridescent black backs and long, forked tails. Females are similar but more muted in color.

Bearded Mountaineers are timid hummers that prefer the nectar of cacti, agaves, tree tobacco, and eucalyptus. They feed by hovering, positioning themselves almost vertically before flowers and flicking their tails. Males sing a high-pitched descending series.

This species inhabits higher-elevation dry rocky hillsides and open terrain, including urban areas. They can be found in drier areas of the Andes Mountains in south-central Peru.

List of Species

• Bearded Mountaineer (Oreonympha nobilis)

Comets (Genera Polyonymus and Taphrolesbia)

Comets are relatively large hummingbirds, measuring four to seven inches in length. They have long tails, and that of the Bronze-tailed Comet is forked.

Males feature green and bronze iridescent plumage and purple or blue gorgets depending on the species. Females are similar to males but have more subdued coloration. Males sing a trilling song.

Comets mainly forage for nectar and insects near the ground, and, unusually among hummingbirds, the Bronze-tailed Comet eats mostly insects.

These birds live on sparsely vegetated arid high-elevation steep rocky slopes at only a few locations in the Andes Mountains of north-central Peru.

There are two species of comets, one in the genus Polyonymus and one in the genus Taphrolesbia. The IUCN lists the Grey-bellied Comet as Endangered.

List of Species

• Bronze-tailed Comet (Polyonymus caroli)
• Grey-bellied Comet (Taphrolesbia griseiventris)

Coquettes (Genus Lophornis)

Coquettes are some of the smallest hummingbirds in the world, with all species measuring between 3 and 3.5 inches in length. The genus name Lophornis means “crested bird” in Ancient Greek.

Indeed, male coquettes have large, brightly colored crests and unusual spotted markings, while females lack crests and are drabber overall.

Coquettes feed on a variety of flowers and also eat insects. Because of their small size, they cannot compete with other hummingbirds for territories and so must travel great distances to feed each day, stealing nectar when they can.

These unique hummers can be found in a variety of habitats including humid evergreen forests, rainforests, open woodlands, clearings, and roadsides. Coquettes are native to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Trinidad, Nicaragua, and northern South America.

There are 11 species in the genus Lophornis. The IUCN lists the Short-crested Coquette as Critically Endangered and the Dot-eared Coquette and Festive Coquette as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• White-crested Coquette (Lophornis adorabilis)
• Short-crested Coquette (Lophornis brachylophus)
• Festive Coquette (Lophornis chalybeus)
• Rufous-crested Coquette (Lophornis delattrei)
• Dot-eared Coquette (Lophornis gouldii)
• Black-crested Coquette (Lophornis helenae)
• Frilled Coquette (Lophornis magnificus)
• Tufted Coquette (Lophornis ornatus)
• Peacock Coquette (Lophornis pavoninus)
• Spangled Coquette (Lophornis stictolophus)
• Butterfly Coquette (Lophornis verreauxii)

Firecrowns (Genus Sephanoides)

Firecrowns are some of the most distinctive hummingbirds for several reasons. As their name suggests, males have dramatic iridescent forehead tuft “crowns” that reflect all the colors of the rainbow.

Females look remarkably different from their male counterparts, having smaller bodies and longer bills. In fact, biologists once thought male and female Juan Fernández Firecrowns were two different species due to the females’ showy tufted purple crowns.

Firecrowns feed from a variety of flowers, clinging as they lap nectar. They are feisty birds with great memories for the best nectar sources and will chase off much larger birds. Males sing a series of high-pitched notes.

These hummers live in forests, gardens, and densely vegetated areas. The Green-backed Firecrown can be found in southern South America in Chile and Argentina while the Critically Endangered Juan Fernández Firecrown lives only on Isla Róbinson Crusoe off the coast of Chile.

There are two species in the genus Sephanoides.

List of Species

• Juan Fernández Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis)
• Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes)

Bearded Helmetcrests (Genus Oxypogon)

Bearded helmetcrests are some of the most unusual hummingbirds out there. At first glance, you might not even think they were hummingbirds at all! The genus name Oxypogon is Ancient Greek for “pointed beard” and that is definitely a trait these birds share.

Male bearded helmetcrests have relatively drab body plumage in shades of brown to gray-green. But their heads are heavily adorned with black pointed crests that extend up above their heads and down to form goatee-like beards. In some species, purple, blue, and teal iridescence accentuates the beards.

Females, meanwhile, lack crests and beards and are drabber in coloration. All bearded helmetcrests have long tails and short bills, which biologists believe facilitate feeding on tiny clustered flowers.

Males sing a repeated high-pitched song practically constantly during the breeding season, which typically coincides with the bloom times of preferred flowers.

Bearded helmetcrests feed on a variety of flowers, clinging rather than hovering to sip nectar. They also eat insects.

These unique hummers live in high-elevation humid mountain forests, grasslands, and open areas in the mountains of Colombia and Venezuela.

There are four species in the genus Oxypogon. The IUCN lists the Buffy Helmetcrest as Vulnerable and the Blue-bearded Helmetcrest as Critically Endangered.

List of Species

• Blue-bearded Helmetcrest (Oxypogon cyanolaemus)
• Green-bearded Helmetcrest (Oxypogon guerinii)
• White-bearded Helmetcrest (Oxypogon lindenii)
• Buffy Helmetcrest (Oxypogon stuebelii)

Hillstars (Genus Oreotrochilus)

The hillstars of genus Oreotrochilus are only distantly related to the hillstars of genus Urochroa. They are fairly large hummingbirds, with most species measuring about five inches in length.

Males are mostly brownish green or black with white marked tails and breasts and shiny gorgets of green, purple, or blue depending on the species. Females are more subdued in color, with mottled white throats.

Hillstars are aggressive hummers known to ferociously guard their preferred flowers – those of the shrub Chuquiraga – which biologists believe may be the only food source of some species.

Due to their preferred open habitats, many species build their nests on rock faces or in caves and some even nest communally. Males sing a melodic song.

They live at high elevations in grasslands and shrubby woodlands in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia.

There are seven species in the genus Oreotrochilus. The Blue-throated Hillstar is highly threatened by habitat loss.

List of Species

• Wedge-tailed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus adela)
• Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo)
• Blue-throated Hillstar (Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus)
• Andean Hillstar (Oreotrochilus estella)
• White-sided Hillstar (Oreotrochilus leucopleurus)
• Black-breasted Hillstar (Oreotrochilus melanogaster)
• Green-headed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus stolzmanni)

Metaltails (Genus Metallura)

Metaltails are named for the forked vibrantly iridescent tails of the males, which range from blue to bronze to green to red to purple depending on the species.

Their gorgets are equally colorful, coming in shades of turquoise to red. Females are drabber versions of their male counterparts.

Like most hummingbirds, metaltails feed on nectar and insects, which they catch by darting from a perch similar to flycatchers. Males defend nectar sources and sing a descending high-pitched song.

Metaltails live on rocky hillsides and in open woodlands at high elevations in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.

There are nine species in the genus Metallura. The IUCN lists the Fiery-throated Metaltail and Perijia Metaltail as Endangered.

List of Species

• Scaled Metaltail (Metallura aeneocauda)
• Violet-throated Metaltail (Metallura baroni)
• Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon)
• Perija Metaltail (Metallura iracunda)
• Neblina Metaltail (Metallura odomae)
• Black Metaltail (Metallura phoebe)
• Coppery Metaltail (Metallura theresiae)
• Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina)
• Viridian Metaltail (Metallura williami)

Mountain Avocetbill (Genus Opisthoprora)

There is one species in the genus Opisthoprora: The Mountain Avocetbill. This is a medium-sized hummingbird named for its short, upturned bill, which resembles that of the avocets, a small genus of shorebirds.

Male and female Mountain Avocetbills look similar, with both having predominantly bronze and green iridescent plumage, white breasts and flanks, rusty bellies, notched tails, and a white spot behind their eyes.

Mountain Avocetbills feed within ten feet of the ground, catching insects from the air like flycatchers and nectaring from a variety of flowers.

Little is known about this species and it is considered rare within its small range. Mountain Avocetbills inhabit high-elevation mountain forests, clearings, and shrubby areas at only a handful of locations in the central Andes Mountains of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru.

List of Species

• Mountain Avocetbill (Opisthoprora euryptera)

Piedtails (Genus Phlogophilus)

Piedtails are small hummingbirds with short black bills and mostly green bodies. Males and females are similar in appearance, with both having light-colored throats and underparts, white spots behind their eyes, and black-and-white tail feathers with green centers (hence the common name).

They feed from a variety of flowers close to the ground, perching while they drink, and also pick insects from leaves. Males sing a three-note high-pitched song.

Piedtails require intact forests and so are threatened by logging activities. They live in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador.

There are two species in the genus Phlogophilus.

List of Species

• Peruvian Piedtail (Phlogophilus harterti)
• Ecuadorian Piedtail (Phlogophilus hemileucurus)

Speckled Hummingbird (Genus Adelomyia)

There is one species in the genus Adelomyia: The Speckled Hummingbird. This species looks more like a tiny songbird than a hummingbird. As their name suggests, their breasts and throats are pale with green and bronze-hued speckles while they sport subtly iridescent green feathers on their backs.

Males and females are identical, with both sexes having short bills, large pale feet, and a dark vertical stripe bordered by white through their eyes.  Speckled Hummingbirds feed on a variety of flowers close to the ground.

Most live in cloudforests at middle elevations in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Colombia, with one population living in coastal forests far from the Andes. Because some populations are separated by geography, biologists believe they may later be reclassified as multiple species.

List of Species

• Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys)

Sunangels (Genus Heliangelus)

Sunangels are medium-sized hummingbirds that come in a variety of hues. They are short-billed, long-winged, and relatively long-tailed and many species have white collars or upper breasts.

Males have bright iridescent backs, crowns, and gorgets in shades of emerald green to rosy red depending on species while females are more subdued in coloration.

Sunangels prefer to forage around concealing vegetation near the ground, using their short bills to access flowers with shallow nectaries. They aggressively defend their favorite flower patches. Both males and females issue a call similar to a cricket’s chirp.

These hummers inhabit high-elevation open areas at forest edges, clearings, and shrubby hillsides in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

There are nine species in the genus Heliangelus. The IUCN lists the Royal Sunangel as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Amethyst-throated Sunangel (Heliangelus amethysticollis)
• Longuemare’s Sunangel (Heliangelus clarisse)
• Tourmaline Sunangel (Heliangelus exortis)
• Orange-throated Sunangel (Heliangelus mavors)
• Flame-throated Sunangel (Heliangelus micrastur)
• Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis)
• Merida Sunangel (Heliangelus spencei)
• Gorgeted Sunangel (Heliangelus strophianus)
• Purple-throated Sunangel (Heliangelus viola)

Sylphs (Genus Aglaiocercus)

Sylphs are medium-sized hummingbirds, but males appear larger due to their long outer tail feathers, which can reach nearly five inches in length.

Males are extraordinarily iridescent from their crowns to the tips of their long tails, which come in shades of sapphire blue to deep purple depending on the species.

Females have shorter tails and feature more subdued coloration on their throats and breasts but are as stunning as their male counterparts on their crowns, backs, and tails. Both sexes have short bills.

Sylphs are adaptable, feeding on flowers by trap-lining and defending territories, supplementing their diet with insects, and foraging at various levels of the forest. They migrate in elevation seasonally in response to bloom times.

These resplendent hummingbirds live in forests, clearings, scrubland, at forest edges, and in gardens at mid-elevations in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

There are three species in the genus Aglaiocercus. The IUCN lists the Venezuelan Sylph as Endangered.

List of Species

• Venezuelan Sylph (Aglaiocercus berlepschi)
• Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis)
• Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii)

Thornbills (Genera Chalcostigma and Ramphomicron)

Thornbills are medium-sized hummingbirds with fairly long forked tails, narrow gorgets called beards, and very short bills. Males have significantly longer and more colorful iridescent gorgets than females but the sexes are otherwise similar.

Like most hummers, thornbills feed on a mix of nectar and insects. They accept a variety of flowers, but many species have preferences for certain plant families and some feed predominantly on insects.

They feed at a variety of heights in their environment and many species are fiercely territorial, even taking on much larger birds.

Thornbills live at mid to high elevations in a variety of habitats from humid cloudforests and mountain forests to scrubland and grasslands in the Andes Mountains of Columbia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. The Black-backed Thornbill lives only in northern Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

There are five species in the genus Discosura and two species in the genus Ramphomicron. The IUCN lists the Black-backed Thornbill as Endangered.

List of Species

• Rainbow-bearded Thornbill (Chalcostigma herrani)
• Bronze-tailed Thornbill (Chalcostigma heteropogon)
• Olivaceous Thornbill (Chalcostigma olivaceum)
• Rufous-capped Thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps)
• Blue-mantled Thornbill (Chalcostigma stanleyi)
• Black-backed Thornbill (Ramphomicron dorsale)
• Purple-backed Thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum)

Thorntails (Genus Discosura)

The common name thorntail refers to the long and thin outer tail feathers of the males. These are some of the smallest hummingbirds out there – and that’s saying something! Weighing just 0.11 ounce or less, these birds are mostly feathers.

Males are exceptionally colorful and adorned, with multi-colored iridescent gorgets, crowns, and backs and two-toned breasts. One species has a long wiry crest and another has round flags at the tips of its tail. Females are paler overall and lack the long tails and fancy adornments of their male counterparts.

Thorntails primarily forage on tree flowers in the canopy with some exhibiting preferences for certain tree species over others.

They live in humid forests and at forest edges in the foothills of the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia with some species also occurring in tropical regions of Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname.

There are five species in the genus Chlacostigma.

List of Species

• Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii)
• Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi)
• Letitia’s Thorntail (Discosura letitiae)
• Raquet-tailed Coquette (Discosura longicauda)
• Wire-crested Thorntail (Discosura popelairii)

Trainbearers (Genus Lesbia)

Trainbearers are named for the extremely long forked tails of the males, which can measure up to 5.7 inches in length and curve slightly up. Males also feature bright iridescent green gorgets and chests. Females have shorter tails and paler underparts but still feature green iridescence on their crowns and backs.

These unique hummers feed from a variety of flowers and insects at low to medium heights in the forest and eat more insects than the average hummingbird.

Trainbearers live in tropical forests, open forests, and shrubby areas and can even be found in city parks and gardens. They are native to the Andes Mountains of Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela and Bolivia.

There are two species in the genus Lesbia.

List of Species

• Green-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia nuna)
• Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae)

Subfamily Patagoninae

The subfamily Patagoninae contains only one species in a single genus.

Giant Hummingbird (Genus Patagona)

There is only one species in the genus Patagona: The Giant Hummingbird. At nine inches long and with a wingspan of 8.5 inches, the Northern Cardinal-sized Giant Hummingbird is aptly named. It is the largest member of the hummingbird family.

Giant Hummingbirds are also unusual in other ways. Unlike most hummers, they are not brightly colored and lack iridescence. Females and males are identical. They also have a white ring around their eyes, long wings, and large feathered feet.

This bizarre species feeds on a variety of flowers, including those of many cacti, but has a symbiotic relationship with members of the Puya genus. They also supplement their diet with insects and females will even consume ash and sand for extra calcium.

Due to their large wings, Giant Hummingbirds are able to glide – something most hummingbirds are unable to do. Their call is a loud “chip” that sounds like a whistle.

Giant Hummingbirds live in high altitude forests, scrubland, and gardens in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.

List of Species

• Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas)

Subfamily Trochilinae

The subfamily Trochilinae contains 170 species in its 59 genera. The subfamily is further split into three tribes: Lampornithini (mountaingems), Mellisugini (bees), and Trochilini (emeralds).

Tribe Lampornithini

The tribe Lampornithini contains 18 species in its 7 genera. They are commonly referred to as mountaingems after members of Lampornis, the tribe’s largest genus.

Genus Eugenes

Members of the genus Eugenes are medium-sized hummingbirds that appear dark-colored unless the light hits them just right.

Males have purple iridescent crowns, yellowish-green iridescent backs, black-tipped tails, blue-green gorgets, and black heads. Females are drab in color but both sexes have white markings behind their eyes.

Eugenes hummers feed by trap-lining on a wide variety of flowers and also eat insects. They issue quite a few different calls and biologists are still working out if they have a true song.

These hummingbirds live in pine-oak forests, cloudforests, forest edges, and clearings at mid-elevations in mountains from Nicaragua to Honduras with the Rivoli’s Hummingbird venturing north to the southwestern United States in the spring and summer months.

There are two species in the genus Eugenes.

List of Species

• Rivoli’s Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens)
• Talamanca Hummingbird (Eugenes spectabilis)

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Genus Panterpe)

There is one species in the genus Panterpe: The Fiery-throated Hummingbird. This medium-sized hummer is somewhat of a trickster. When viewed from the side, they appear a two-tone iridescent green. But when faced head on, the bird comes alive.

Both males and females have bright blue crowns and chests and rainbow-colored gorgets with reddish orange centers and turquoise borders. Truly remarkable birds.

Fiery-throated Hummingbirds feed on – and aggressively guard – the flowers of bromeliads, trees, and epiphytes and also eat insects. The species prefers to forage under the cover of vegetation.

They live in cloudforests, mountain forests, and open areas with some plant cover in Costa Rica and Panama.

List of Species

• Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis)

Garnet-throated Hummingbird (Genus Lamprolaima)

There is one species in the genus Lamprolaima: The Garnet-throated Hummingbird. This is a medium-sized species with a relatively short bill.

Males are mostly iridescent green with black faces, white spots behind their eyes, pink gorgets, bluish-purple chests, red wings, and purple tails. Females resemble a toned-down version of their male counterparts.

Garnet-throated Hummingbirds prefer the nectar of Inga and Erythrina shrubs, feeding below 30 feet above the ground. Males aggressively guard their favorite nectar patches.

These hummers live in cloudforests, pine-oak forests, tropical forests, and scrubland at mid-elevations in parts of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

List of Species

• Garnet-throated Hummingbird (Lamprolaima rhami)

Mountaingems (Genus Lampornis)

Mountaingems are medium to large hummingbirds with fairly short bills that curve slightly downward. Males have vivid green backs and bright iridescent crowns and gorgets that range from blue to turquoise to purple with some species having white throats instead. Females are drab by comparison, with paler undersides and less iridescence.

Mountaingems visit the flowers of many different trees and shrubs but some species have a preference for those of epiphytes, which males will guard viciously. Males sing a complex sequence of trills and squeaky notes.

These hummers live in a variety of wooded habitats including cloudforests, tropical forests, pine-oak forests, riparian woodlands, and coniferous forests. They can be found in Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and some species even venture into the southwestern United States.

There are eight species in the genus Lampornis.

List of Species

• Amethyst-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis amethystinus)
• Purple-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis calolaemus)
• White-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis castaneoventris)
• Gray-tailed Mountaingem (Lampornis cinereicauda)
• Blue-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis clemenciae)
• White-bellied Mountaingem (Lampornis hemileucus)
• Green-breasted Mountaingem (Lampornis sybillae)
• Green-throated Mountaingem (Lampornis viridipallens)

Scissor-tailed Hummingbird (Genus Hylonympha)

There is one species in the genus Hylonympha: The Scissor-tailed Hummingbird. As their common name suggests, males of the species have two nearly four-inch tail feathers that are dark iridescent purple. They also have iridescent purple foreheads that extend into dark green crowns, shiny golden necks, and bright green backs.

Females, meanwhile, are uniformly iridescent green above and white below. They have somewhat long forked tails but they are nowhere near as fancy as those of their male counterparts. Both sexes have long decurved bills.

Scissor-tailed Hummingbirds favor nectar from bromeliads but will also feed from Heliconia and Costus flowers. These unique hummers live in established subtropical forests, cloudforests, and small clearings at lower elevations on northeastern Venezuela’s Paria Peninsula. The IUCN lists the Scissor-tailed Hummingbird as Endangered.

List of Species

• Scissor-tailed Hummingbird (Hylonympha macrocerca)

Starthroats (Genus Heliomaster)

Starthroats are medium-sized hummingbirds with relatively long bills. Males and females are similar in appearance, though females of most species are more toned-down versions of males.

Males have bright iridescent gorgets in shades of red and purple that stand out from their overall more Earth-toned plumage. These hummers also have white mustache-like markings below their eyes, white spots behind their eyes, white rumps, and hints of bronze and green on their backs and crowns.

Starthroats feed at all heights within their environment, feasting on nectar from a variety of flowers by trap-lining or guarding preferred patches. Some species exhibit slight preferences for certain flowering trees and vines over others.

Starthroats live in forests, scrublands, and open areas with some vegetation at lower elevations in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia, Trinidad, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Some species even venture into Ecuador and the southwestern United States.

There are four species in the genus Heliomaster.

List of Species

• Plain-capped Starthroat (Heliomaster constantii)
• Blue-tufted Starthroat (Heliomaster furcifer)
• Long-billed Starthroat (Heliomaster longirostris)
• Stripe-breasted Starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus)

Violet-chested Hummingbird (Genus Sternoclyta)

There is one species in the genus Sternoclyta: The Violet-chested Hummingbird. As its name suggests, males of this species have a large iridescent patch of bluish-purple on their chests right below their emerald green gorgets.

Females lack the vibrant coloration of throat and chest but have iridescent green backs like their male counterparts. Both males and females are medium-sized hummingbirds with slightly decurved bills and white spots behind their eyes.

Violet-chested Hummingbirds search for their favorite flowers deep in dense forests and thickets, having a preference for Heliconia. When they find a good flower patch, they aggressively defend it.

This species lives in tropical forests, on coffee plantations, and in small clearings at lower elevations in Columbia and Venezuela.

List of Species

• Violet-chested Hummingbird (Sternoclyta cyanopectus)

Tribe Mellisugini

The tribe Mellisugini contains 37 species in its 16 genera. They are commonly referred to as bees after the minuscule Bee Hummingbird, which is the world’s tiniest bird. Most bees produce sounds with their tails during courtship displays and many species are highly migratory.

Genus Archilochus

Archilochus hummingbirds are small but capable. Males have yellowish-green iridescent backs and dark purple to ruby red gorgets bordered by velvety black and white collars. From most angles, their heads look black. Females are drab by comparison.

These hummers accept nectar from a wide range of flowers and also regularly visit feeders. They are migratory, spending their summers breeding in forests and gardens of the eastern or western United States and Canada and their winters in Mexico and Central America.

There are two species in the genus Archilochus.

List of Species

• Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Genus Calypte

The genus name Calypte is likely derived from the Ancient Greek word for a woman’s head-dress and refers to the striking pinkish red iridescent crowns and gorgets of the males of these hummingbirds, which combine to form one bright helmet that extends down the sides of the throat.

Both males and females have some yellowish-green iridescence on their backs and females even have small pink gorgets.

Calypte hummingbirds feed on a variety of flowers and the Anna’s Hummingbird especially is known for its close association with backyards and feeders.

Males of both species also put on dramatic courtship displays that feature long dives, tail squeaks, singing, and gorget-flares.

These hummingbirds are found in a variety of habitats from deserts to coastal scrub to gardens throughout the western and southwestern United States, Canada, and northern Mexico.

There are two species in the genus Calypte.

List of Species

• Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
• Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae)

Genus Mellisuga

The genus Mellisuga – which means “honeysucker” in Latin – contains the two smallest birds in the world. These tiny birds are barely over two inches long and weigh between 0.069 and 0.092 ounce.

Male Bee Hummingbirds have blue and turquoise iridescent backs and ruby red gorgets with long flares, while females are plainer overall. Male Vervain Hummingbirds feature shiny green backs but lack iridescent gorgets. All Mellisuga hummers look like little round balls when perched.

Mellisuga hummingbirds feed on a small list of preferred flowers, many of which are small and have only a little nectar in them. They also eat insects and spiders. Males perform dives during courtship.

They live in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, scrub, and urban areas. They are native to Cuba, Hispaniola, and Jamaica.

There are two species in the genus Mellisuga.

List of Species

• Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae)
• Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima)

Oasis Hummingbird (Genus Rhodopis)

There is one species in the genus Rhodopis: The Oasis Hummingbird. Males feature a violet and turquoise gorget and purplish-brown tails while females are plainer overall. Both sexes have long, decurved bills and white markings near their eyes.

Oasis Hummingbirds are so named for their preference for temporary isolated oases, gardens, and riparian areas in Chile and Peru. They must move from one to another as needed to find blooms. This species is opportunistic and feeds on a variety of flowers and insects.

Like many bee hummingbirds, the male Oasis Hummingbirds perform elaborate displays during courtship, flaring their gorgets, singing, and diving to impress females.

List of Species

• Oasis Hummingbird (Rhodopis vesper)

Genus Selasphorus

The genus name Selasphorus means “flame carrying” in Ancient Greek. Indeed, most of these small hummingbirds feature vibrant gorgets and a few have iridescent orange in their plumage.

Males have pinkish red or purple gorgets, bronze-green backs, and lighter breasts while females present more subdued versions of their male counterparts.

Selasphorus hummers feed on a variety of flowers and insects. Males perform elaborate courtship dive displays and many species, like the Rufous Hummingbird, are accomplished long-range migrants.

These hummingbirds live in forests, gardens, and shrublands. Many species spend their summers breeding as far north as Alaska, in the case of the Rufous Hummingbird, and their winters in Mexico. Others live in Panama, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras year-round.

There are nine species in the genus Selasphorus. The IUCN lists the Glow-throated Hummingbird as Endangered and the Rufous Hummingbird as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Glow-throated Hummingbird (Selasphorus ardens)
• Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope)
• Wine-throated Hummingbird (Selasphorus ellioti)
• Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula)
• Bumblebee Hummingbird (Selasphorus heloisa)
• Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
• Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin)
• Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla)

Sheartails (Genera Calothorax, Doricha, Thaumastura)

Male sheartails have very long, forked, iridescent tails with longer outer feathers and shorter central feathers. They also have bright gorgets in shades of magenta, red, and violet. Although their bodies are small, their tails make them appear much larger.

Females have shorter forked tails and are drabber overall. They feed on a variety of flowers, including those of vines, agaves, and eucalyptus and also eat insects.

Males use their long tail feathers during displays, spreading them out to produce sounds during dives. They also sing a repetitive song.

Sheartails live in deserts, canyons, mountain slopes, scrublands, and gardens at low to mid elevations in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.

There are two species in the genus Calothorax, two species in the genus Doricha, and one species in the genus Thaumastura.

List of Species

• Lucifer Sheartail (Calothorax lucifer)
• Beautiful Sheartail (Calothorax pulcher)
• Mexican Sheartail (Doricha eliza)
• Slender Sheartail (Doricha enicura)
• Peruvian Sheartail (Thaumastura cora)

Woodstars (Genera Chaetocercus, Calliphlox, Eulidia, Microstilbon, Myrmia, Myrtis, Nesophlox, Philodice, Tilmatura)

Hummingbirds commonly referred to as woodstars fall in nine different genera. All are small-bodied, have short-to-medium often forked tails, and medium-length bills.

Males have pink, purple, red, or aquamarine gorgets and many species have white markings on their faces and bodies. Females are more subdued versions of their male counterparts.

Like most hummingbirds, woodstars feed on nectar from a variety of flowers by trap-lining and supplement their diets with insects. Males of most species perform elaborate courtship displays.

Woodstars live in scrub, riparian areas, parks, and forests in Mexico, Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

There are six species in the genus Chaetocercus, one species in the genus Calliphlox, one species in the genus Eulidia, one species in the genus Microstilbon, one species in the genus Myrmia, one species in the genus Myrtis, two species in the genus Nesophlox, two species in the genus Philodice, and one species in the genus Tilmatura.

The IUCN lists the Chilean Woodstar as Critically Endangered, the Esmeraldas Woodstar as Vulnerable, and the Little Woodstar as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Santa Marta Woodstar (Chaetocercus astreans)
• Esmeraldas Woodstar (Chaetocercus berlepschi)
• Little Woodstar (Chaetocercus bombus)
• Gorgeted Woodstar (Chaetocercus heliodor)
• Rufous-shafted Woodstar (Chaetocercus jourdanii)
• White-bellied Woodstar (Chaetocercus mulsant)
• Amethyst Woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina)
• Chilean Woodstar (Eulidia yarrellii)
• Slender-tailed Woodstar (Microstilbon burmeisteri)
• Short-tailed Woodstar (Myrmia micrura)
• Purple-collared Woodstar (Myrtis fanny)
• Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae)
• Inagua Woodstar (Nesophlox lyrura)
• Magenta-throated Woodstar (Philodice bryantae)
• Purple-throated Woodstar (Philodice mitchellii)
• Sparkling-tailed Woodstar (Tilmatura dupontii)

Tribe Trochilini

The tribe Trochilini contains 114 species in its 36 genera. They are commonly referred to as emeralds as many species contain emerald in their common names.

Genus Amazilia

Amazilia hummingbirds are small-bodied birds with primarily iridescent green plumage with rufous hints and red-orange bills. Males of a few species feature turquoise gorgets and bibs. Females are drabber versions of their male counterparts.

These aggressive little hummers accept nectar from a wide range of flowers and also enjoy visiting feeders, though some species have more specialized tastes. They forage at all levels of their habitats.

Amazilia hummingbirds live in open forests, clearings, and gardens at low to mid elevations with one, the Mangrove Hummingbird, living only in tea mangrove forests. They can be found in Mexico, Central America, Columbia, Ecuador, and Venezuela with one species occasionally venturing into the United States.

There are five species in the genus Amazilia. The IUCN lists the Mangrove Hummingbird as Endangered and the Honduran Emerald as Vulnerable.

List of Species

• Mangrove Hummingbird (Amazilia boucardi)
• Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae)
• Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia rutila)
• Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)
• Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis)

Amazilia Hummingbird (Genus Amazilis)

There is one species in the genus Amazilis: The Amazilia Hummingbird. These small hummingbirds have variable plumage and are further divided into six subspecies.

Males are yellowish-rufous on their backs and have gold to turquoise gorgets depending on the subspecies. Females are colored similarly but have paler undersides. Both sexes have pink bills with black tips.

Amazilia Hummingbirds feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, preferring those of medium length, and supplement their diets with insects. Males sing a tinkling song.

These hummers live in low-elevation open, arid environments like savannahs, scrublands, and deserts in Ecuador and Peru.

List of Species

• Amazilia Hummingbird (Amazilis amazilia)

Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Genus Orthorhyncus)

There is one species in the genus Orthorhyncus: The Antillean Crested Hummingbird. This small species is unique in that the males have short green crests and yellow-green iridescent backs and crowns. Females lack the crest and are drabber overall.

Antillean Crested Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowering vines, shrubs, and trees, preferring to forage in the understory. They live in tropical forests, parks, and forest edges at a wide range of elevations.

They can be found on many islands off the coast of northeastern South America including Antigua, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

List of Species

• Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)

Genus Basilinna

Male hummingbirds of the genus Basilinna are unmistakable, with dark faces, a long white stripe behind their eyes, violet or gold foreheads and gorgets, and medium-length black-tipped red bills. Females are similar, but lack the vibrant foreheads and gorgets.

Basilinna hummingbirds forage low in the forest, even using stealth to sneak into larger species’ territories and poach nectar. Males perform for females in leks and sing a nonstop repetitive song.

These hummers live at mid to high elevations, preferring pine-oak forests and clearings. They can be found in the mountains of Mexico, Nicaragua, and the southwestern United States.

There are two species in the genus Basilinna.

List of Species

• White-eared Hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis)
• Xantus’s Hummingbird (Basilinna xantusii)

Blossomcrowns (Genus Anthocephala)

Blossomcrown males have white foreheads, reddish crowns, green backs, and rusty rumps. Females look similar, but lack the colorful crown.

These hummingbirds forage for nectar in the forest understory and males display for females in leks, singing long repeated songs. They live in mid-elevation humid forests in Colombia.

There are two species in the genus Anthocephala. The IUCN lists both the Santa Marta Blossomcrown and Tolima Blossomcrown as Vulnerable.

List of Species

• Tolima Blossomcrown (Anthocephala berlepschi)
• Santa Marta Blossomcrown (Anthocephala floriceps)

Buffy Hummingbird (Genus Leucippus)

There is one species in the genus Leucippus: The Buffy Hummingbird. Males and females of this unusual species look similar, both being a dull reddish buff with green iridescent hints on their backs.

Buffy Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of agave and cacti and will also eat cactus fruit and flesh. Males perform skydives as part of their display.

They live in low-elevation arid areas like desert scrubland and dry forests in Colombia, Venezuela, and French Guiana.

List of Species

• Buffy Hummingbird (Leucippus fallax)

Genus Chlorestes

Hummingbirds of the genus Chlorestes are striking birds with males of most species having deep sapphire-blue or teal iridescent gorgets and chests. Females look similar but are less vibrantly colored. The White-bellied Emerald is the exception with both males and females having bronze backs and white chests.

Chlorestes hummingbirds feed on a variety of flowers and insects at all levels of the forest. Males of some species perform in leks.

They live in low-elevation forests in Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, the Guianas, and Trinidad.

There are five species in the genus Chlorestes.

List of Species

• White-bellied Emerald (Chlorestes candida)
• White-chinned Sapphire (Chlorestes cyanus)
• Blue-throated Sapphire (Chlorestes eliciae)
• Violet-bellied Hummingbird (Chlorestes julie)
• Blue-chinned Sapphire (Chlorestes notata)

Genus Chrysuronia

The genus Chrysuronia contains some of the most beautiful hummingbirds in the world. Males of most species are covered head to toe in iridescent plumage with some, like the Golden-tailed Sapphire, featuring all the colors of the rainbow. A few, like the Plain-bellied Emerald, are drabber.

Chrysuronia hummers are typically solitary but can make a noisy racket as they gather at flowers to feed. Males of some species perform display dives.

These hummingbirds live in low to mid elevation open forests, parks, and coffee plantations in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, the Guianas, and Trinidad.

There are nine species in the genus Chrysuronia. The IUCN lists the Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird as Endangered.

List of Species

• White-chested Emerald (Chrysuronia brevirostris)
• Sapphire-throated Hummingbird (Chrysuronia coeruleogularis)
• Shining-green Hummingbird (Chrysuronia goudoti)
• Blue-headed Sapphire (Chrysuronia grayi)
• Humboldt’s Sapphire (Chrysuronia humboldtii)
• Plain-bellied Emerald (Chrysuronia leucogaster)
• Sapphire-bellied Emerald (Chrysuronia lilliae)
• Golden-tailed Sapphire (Chrysuronia oenone)
• Versicolored Emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor)

Dusky Hummingbird (Genus Phaeoptila)

There is one species in the genus Phaeoptila: The Dusky Hummingbird. As their name suggests, Dusky Hummingbirds are not as flashy as other species and lack colorful gorgets. They are mostly bronze, green, and gray with black-tipped red bills. Females and males look similar.

Dusky Hummingbirds feed on the flowers of trees, cacti, and agaves. They hover as they feed, wagging their tails from side to side. This species prefers open, arid areas at low to mid elevations. They live in southwestern Mexico.

List of Species

• Dusky Hummingbird (Phaeoptila sordida)

Genus Elliotomyia

Hummingbirds of the genus Elliotomyia have iridescent green backs and crowns, white chests, and a yellow or cream patch above and below their red and black bills. Females and males look quite similar.

Elliotomyia hummingbirds feed on a variety of shrubs and trees and also eat insects. They live in open forests, shrublands, and gardens in Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil.

There are two species in the genus Elliotomyia.

List of Species

• White-bellied Hummingbird (Elliotomyia chionogaster)
• Green-and-white Hummingbird (Elliotomyia viridicauda)

Emeralds (Genera Chionomesa, Chlorostilbon, Cynanthus, Microchera, Riccordia, Uranomitra)

The tribe Trochilini contains many species of emeralds in several genera. While their characteristics vary with species (the Snowcap is dark bronze with a white forehead), most of these hummers are small-bodied with some degree of dark emerald green iridescence on their backs, chests, crowns, and gorgets. Many also have red bills.

Females feature some green shine on their backs but are much lighter below. Like most hummingbirds, emeralds feed on a wide variety of flowers and also supplement their diets with insects.

They inhabit a range of different forests, open woodlands, riparian woods, and shrubby areas in Central America, South America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States.

There are two species in the genus Chionomesa, 10 species in the genus Chlorostilbon, six species in the genus Cynanthus, three species in the genus Microchera, six species in the genus Riccordia, and one species in the genus Uranomitra.

The IUCN lists the Tres Mariás Hummingbird as Near Threatened and the Brace’s Emerald and Gould’s Emerald as extinct.

List of Species

• Glittering-throated Emerald (Chionomesa fimbriata)
• Sapphire-spangled Emerald (Chionomesa lactea)
• Green-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon alice)
• Garden Emerald (Chlorostilbon assimilis)
• Red-billed Emerald (Chlorostilbon gibsoni)
• Glittering-bellied Emerald (Chlorostilbon lucidus)
• Western Emerald (Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus)
• Blue-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon mellisugus)
• Chiribiquete Emerald (Chlorostilbon olivaresi)
• Short-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon poortmani)
• Coppery Emerald (Chlorostilbon russatus)
• Narrow-tailed Emerald (Chlorostilbon stenurus)
• Golden-crowned Emerald (Cynanthus auriceps)
• Canivet’s Emerald (Cynanthus canivetii)
• Turquoise-crowned Hummingbird (Cynanthus doubledayi)
• Cozumel Emerald (Cynanthus forficatus)
• Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Tres Mariás Hummingbird (Cynanthus lawrencei)
• Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata)
• White-tailed Emerald (Microchera chionura)
• Coppery-headed Emerald (Microchera cupreiceps)
• Blue-headed Hummingbird (Riccordia bicolor)
• Brace’s Emerald (Riccordia bracei) (extinct)
• Gould’s Emerald (Riccordia elegans) (extinct)
• Puerto Rican Emerald (Riccordia maugaeus)
• Cuban Emerald (Riccordia ricordii)
• Hispaniolan Emerald (Riccordia swainsonii)
• Andean Emerald (Uranomitra franciae)

Emerald-chinned Hummingbird (Genus Abeillia)

There is one species in the genus Abeillia: The Emerald-chinned Hummingbird. These are small hummingbirds. Males have bronze-green iridescent backs and tails, emerald gorgets, and white spots behind their eyes. Females are similar but less colorful.

Emerald-chinned Hummingbirds search for flowers under the safety of cover close to the ground. Once they find a good patch, males defend it aggressively. They live in humid forests at mid elevations in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

List of Species

• Emerald-chinned Hummingbird (Abeillia abeillei)

Genus Eupetomena

The genus Eupetomena contains the striking Swallow-tailed Hummingbird – both sexes of which have long iridescent tails, blue gorgets, and turquoise chests – and the more subdued Sombre-tailed Hummingbird, which is less colorful and has a shorter square-shaped tail.

Eupetomena hummingbirds are large and in charge, with both males and females guarding nectar and running off much bigger birds like Swainson’s Hawks.

They live in the understory of tropical forests, plantations, open areas, and gardens in central east South America.

There are two species in the genus Eupetomena.

List of Species

• Sombre Hummingbird (Eupetomena cirrochloris)
• Swallow-tailed Hummingbird (Eupetomena macrourus)

Genus Eupherusa

Hummingbirds of the genus Eupherusa are small hummingbirds. Both males and females are predominantly iridescent green with rufous hints, though males have flashier purple crowns and turquoise gorgets.

They feed on nectar and insects at all levels of the forest. Males sing a frantic, high-pitched warbling song.

There are five species in the genus Eupherusa. They live in a variety of forests and mid elevations in Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica. The IUCN lists the Oaxaca Hummingbird as Endangered, the Mexican Woodnymph as Vulnerable, and the White-tailed Hummingbird as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Oaxaca Hummingbird (Eupherusa cyanophyrs)
• Stripe-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa eximia)
• Black-bellied Hummingbird (Eupherusa nigriventris)
• White-tailed Hummingbird (Eupherusa poliocerca)
• Mexican Woodnymph (Eupherusa ridgwayi)

Genus Goldmania

Both male and female Goldmania hummingbirds are primarily dark, iridescent emerald green and males have a green or bluish-purple crown.

They feed on flowers and small insects near the ground in the forest. Not much is known about their behavior.

Goldmania hummers live within and at the edges of humid mid elevation forests in Panama and Colombia.

There are two species in Goldmania. The IUCN lists both the Violet-capped Hummingbird and Pirre Hummingbird as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Pirre Hummingbird (Goldmania bella)
• Violet-capped Hummingbird (Goldmania violiceps)

Many-spotted Hummingbird (Genus Taphrospilus)

There is one species in the genus Taphrospilus: The Many-spotted Hummingbird. As its name suggests, this species is heavily spotted on its white throat and chest, with males more heavily spotted than females.

Both sexes have emerald green iridescent backs with hints of bronze and copper mixed in. They have slightly decurved black bills and white spots behind their eyes.

These hummers feed on many different flowers, from shrubs to bromeliads, and catch insects from the air.

They live in hilly forests full of ravines in Bolivia, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina.

List of Species

• Many-spotted Hummingbird (Taphrospilus hypostictus)

Olive-spotted Hummingbird (Genus Talaphorus)

There is one species in the genus Talaphorus: The Olive-spotted Hummingbird. Both males and females of the species have iridescent bronze crowns, green backs, and speckled olive-green throats.

They feed on a wide variety of flowers and supplement their diets with insects. Males sing a monotonous song.

Olive-spotted Hummingbirds have very specific habitat needs, living almost exclusively in shrubby woodlands on young islands along the Amazon River in Columbia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.

List of Species

• Olive-spotted Hummingbird (Talaphorus chlorocercus)

Plovercrests (Genus Stephanoxis)

Plovercrests are truly bizarre tiny hummingbirds. Males have iridescent green and purple crests reminiscent of plovers, gray faces, short black bills, and a white spot behind their eyes. Both males and females have iridescent emerald green backs, and females have smaller crests.

Like most hummers, plovercrests sip nectar from many species of flowers and supplement their diets with insects. Males sing a several note song and will guard nectar sources.

They live in forest understory and scrublands along streams in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.

There are two species in the genus Stephanoxis.

List of Species

• Green-crowned Plovercrest (Stephanoxis lalandi)
• Purple-crowned Plovercrest (Stephanoxis loddigesii)

Plumeleteers (Genus Chalybura)

Plumeleteers are medium-sized hummingbirds with slightly decurved black bills, iridescent green backs, bronze crowns, and striking bright green or teal breasts. Females are paler versions of their male counterparts.

Plumeleteers feed on a variety of flowers but have a preference for those of Heliconia and will aggressively guard patches of these. They also capture insects from foliage or out of the air.

These hummers live in dense, mature forests, cultivated areas, and gardens at lower elevations in Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica.

There are two species in the genus Chalybura.

List of Species

• White-vented Plumeleteer (Chalybura buffonii)
• Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer (Chalybura urochrysia)

Genus Polyerata

The genus name Polyerata means “very lovely” in Ancient Greek and is a perfect fit for these tiny jewel-like birds. They are primarily iridescent green, with yellowish hues on their backs and deeper blue-green hues on their throats and chests. They have pinkish-red bills.

Polyerata hummingbirds feed on nectar and insects at forest edges. Males perform for females in large groups called leks.

They live in dense forests in Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Columbia but spend a lot of time at the periphery searching for flowers in open areas.

There are three species in the genus Polyerata.

List of Species

• Blue-chested Hummingbird (Polyerata amabilis)
• Charming Hummingbird (Polyerata decora)
• Purple-chested Hummingbird (Polyerata rosenbergi)

Genus Ramosomyia

Hummingbirds in the genus Ramosomyia are medium-sized hummers with iridescent green backs, white chests and throats, purple, green, or blue crowns, and black-tipped red bills. Males and females are practically identical.

Ramosomyia hummingbirds feed from many different flowers at all heights in the forest and are fine sharing so long as nectar isn’t scarce.

They live in forests, scrublands, riparian areas, and gardens year-round in Mexico. The Violet-crowned Hummingbird is migratory and ventures into the southwestern United States during summer.

There are three species in the genus Ramosomyia.

List of Species

• Violet-crowned Hummingbird (Ramosomyia violiceps)
• Green-fronted Hummingbird (Ramosomyia viridifrons)
• Cinnamon-sided Hummingbird (Ramosomyia wagneri)

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird (Genus Phaeochroa)

There is one species in the genus Phaeochroa: The Scaly-breasted Hummingbird. As their name suggests, these hummingbirds have light-tipped feathers on their otherwise dull green chests that give them a scaled impression. They have emerald and bronze iridescence on their backs. Males and females look the same, but females have slightly longer bills.

Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds feed by hovering and perching before a variety of tropical flowers. Males display for females in leks and sing a complex warbling song.

These hummers live in open areas, dry forests, tropical forest clearings, mangrove stands, scrublands, and gardens in Belize, Costa Rica, Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.

List of Species

• Scaly-breasted Hummingbird (Phaeochroa cuvierii)

Sabrewings (Genera Campylopterus and Pampa)

Sabrewings are large hummingbirds named for the bizarrely bent and flattened upper wing feathers of the males that give them the impression they are wearing swords.

Most species are covered in emerald iridescence and have brightly colored blue gorgets and decurved bills but some have paler underparts and rufous hints. Others, like the Violet Sabrewing, are almost entirely purple.

In some species, males and females look nearly identical while in others they look totally different. They are generalist feeders, accepting a wide range of flowers.

Sabrewings live in tropical forests, in ravines near streams, on plantations, and in clearings in Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Guyana, Venezuela, Columbia, Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Tobago.

There are ten species in the genus Campylopterus and four species in the genus Pampa. The IUCN lists the Santa Marta Sabrewing as Critically Endangered, the Outcrop Sabrewing as Vulnerable, and the Diamantina Sabrewing, White-tailed Sabrewing, and Napo Sabrewing as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Outcrop Sabrewing (Campylopterus calcirupicola)
• Diamantina Sabrewing (Campylopterus diamantinensis)
• Buff-breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus duidae)
• White-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus ensipennis)
• Lazuline Sabrewing (Campylopterus falcatus)
• Violet Sabrewing (Campylopterus hemileucurus)
• Rufous-breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus hyperythrus)
• Grey-breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus largipennis)
• Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus)
• Napo Sabrewing (Campylopterus villaviscensio)
• Curve-winged Sabrewing (Pampa curvipennis)
• Long-tailed Sabrewing (Pampa excellens)
• Wedge-tailed Sabrewing (Pampa pampa)
• Rufous Sabrewing (Pampa rufa)

Sapphires (Genus Hylocharis)

The genus name Hylocharis means “forest beauty” in Ancient Greek. Despite their common name, sapphires are not completely blue but rather are mostly iridescent green.

Male Rufous-throated Sapphires do have accents of violet and blue on their gorgets, chests, and lower bellies and have bright red bills with black tips. Females look similar but have blue-green spots.

Sapphires feed on nectar from a variety of flowers. They live in open woodlands, savannahs, cultivated areas, and at forest edges in Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, the Guianas, Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

There are two species in the genus Hylocharis.

List of Species

• Gilded Sapphire (Hylocharis chrysura)
• Rufous-throated Sapphire (Hylocharis sapphirina)

Genus Saucerottia

Saucerottia hummingbirds are small mostly dark iridescent emerald green birds. Many species have rufous hints, bronze accents, and colorful blue or purple crowns and gorgets. Females are toned down versions of their male counterparts.

These hummers are generalists and feed on many different flowers and insects in the forest understory. Males often defend nectar patches.

They live at forest edges, in pine-oak forests, in scrublands, in gardens, and in savannahs in Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana, Tobago, and Trinidad. The Berylline Hummingbird occasionally ventures into the southwestern United States.

There are 10 species in the genus Saucerottia. The IUCN lists the Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird as Near Threatened.

List of Species

• Berylline Hummingbird (Saucerottia beryllina)
• Chestnut-bellied Hummingbird (Saucerottia castaneiventris)
• Indigo-capped Hummingbird (Saucerottia cynanifrons)
• Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanocephala)
• Blue-tailed Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanura)
• Snowy-bellied Hummingbird (Saucerottia edward)
• Blue-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia hoffmanni)
• Steely-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia saucerottei)
• Copper-rumped Hummingbird (Saucerottia tobaci)
• Green-bellied Hummingbird (Saucerottia viridigaster)

Streamertails (Genus Trochilus)

Streamertails are named for the extremely long outer tail feathers of the males, which can reach up to five inches in length. Males are almost completely iridescent emerald green with blue-black or black crowns. Females are far drabber by comparison and lack the long tail feathers.

They feed on a variety of flowers, sometimes using holes at the bases to rob nectar, and also feed on sapsucker wells and insects. Both sexes are aggressive and defend a territory.

Streamertails live in tropical forests and mountain forests in Jamaica.

There are two species in the genus Trochilus.

List of Species

• Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus)
• Black-billed Streamertail (Trochilus scitulus)

Genus Thaumasius

Thaumasius hummingbirds are rather plain, with both males and females appearing a dull grayish brown with small hints of bronze and metallic green. They have white spots behind their eyes.

These hummers forage in the understory and at the middle level of the forest, feeding on flowering trees, agaves, and bananas.

They live at forest edges and in arid scrublands at low to mid elevations in Ecuador and Peru.

There are two species in the genus Thaumasius.

List of Species

• Tumbes Hummingbird (Thaumasius baeri)
• Spot-throated Hummingbird (Thaumasius taczanowskii)

Violet-headed Hummingbird (Genus Klais)

There is one species in the genus Klais: The Violet-headed Hummingbird. As their name suggests, males have vibrant violet crowns and gorgets that change to blue as the bird moves his head. Otherwise, they are iridescent green. Females are a drabber version of their male counterparts.

Violet-headed Hummingbirds feed on the flowers of understory shrubs and have a special preference for those of Stachytarpheta.

They live in moist forests in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

List of Species

• Violet-headed Hummingbird (Klais guimeti)

White-throated Hummingbird (Genus Leucochloris)

There is one species in the genus Leucochloris: The White-throated Hummingbird. As their name suggests, males have bright white throats and lower chests and are otherwise a dazzling dark emerald green. Females are similar but are slightly less vibrant.

White-throated Hummingbirds feed on a wide variety of flowers and also catch insects by flycatching.

They live at forest edges, in open areas, near marshes, and in gardens at lower elevations in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

List of Species

• White-throated Hummingbird (Leucochloris albicollis)

Woodnymphs (Genus Thalurania)

The genus name Thalurania means “child of heaven” in Ancient Greek. Male woodnymphs are stunning birds that are primarily emerald green with blue-violet crowns, lower chests, or shoulders. Most species have longer tails. Females look similar but have paler underparts.

Woodnymphs forage on a variety of flowers from vines to cacti beneath the safety of vegetation cover. Surprisingly, studies have shown that females of some species are more aggressive about defending feeding territories than males.

They live in forests, plantations, and cultivated areas in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Belize, and Guatemala.

There are four species in the genus Thalurania. The IUCN lists the Long-tailed Woodnymph as Endangered.

List of Species

• Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica)
• Fork-tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania furcata)
• Violet-capped Woodnymph (Thalurania glaucopis)
• Long-tailed Woodnymph (Thalurania watertonii)

FAQs

Conclusion

There are around 361 species of hummingbird living in the New World today and biologists are still working out their exact taxonomic relationships and unique behaviors. Because many species live in tropical rainforests and rely on other wooded habitats for foraging, logging and deforestation present constant threats.

We can help these winged jewels by preserving their habitats, avoiding the use of insecticides (as most hummers also eat insects), planting native plants, providing fresh water, and hanging feeders in our yards to attract native species.

Research Citations:

• Alderfer, J., et al. (2006). Complete Birds of North America (2^nd Edition). National Geographic Society.
• American Bird Conservancy: https://abcbirds.org/blog20/ten-fascinating-facts-about-hummingbirds/
• Audubon: https://www.audubon.org/news/get-know-bee-hummingbird-worlds-smallest-bird
• Discover Magazine: https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/tiny-hummingbirds-are-marvels-of-endurance
• Inside Science: https://www.insidescience.org/news/hummingbird-vision-hints-compound-colors-outside-normal-spectrum
• Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2011.9639
• Sibley, D.A. (2001). The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior (1^st Edition). Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird
• Williamson, S.L. (2001). Hummingbirds of North America (1^st Edition). Houghton Mifflin Company.
• Sibley, D.A. (2001). The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior (1^st Edition). Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

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