A medium hummingbird of western mountains. Males produce distinctive trilling sound with wings during flight.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The broad-tailed hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird species found in highland regions from western United States and Western Canada to Mexico and Guatemala.
Source: Wikipedia — Broad-tailed hummingbird Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Male has a rose-magenta throat (gorget), green back, and white breast; female green above with buffy, lightly spotted flanks. Broad green-and-rufous tail.
Similar species. Ruby-throated and Black-chinned have differently colored gorgets; the male's loud wing-trill is the best clue to Broad-tailed.
Voice. Wings give a high, metallic, cricket-like trill in flight; call a sharp 'chip'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Flower nectar; small insects and spiders for protein.
Behavior. A hummingbird of western mountain meadows and open conifer forest; the male's wings produce a loud, cricket-like trill in flight that announces his presence.
§ Range
Western North America in summer; winters Mexico
§ Habitat
Mountain coniferous forests
§ Threats
Habitat loss to drought and fire, climate change.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the broad-tailed hummingbird is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support mountain forest conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Broad-tailed hummingbird
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Selasphorus platycercus
- IUCN Red List — search for Selasphorus platycercus
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Selasphorus platycercus
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
