Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus Order: APODIFORMES Family: Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Needle
  • Eye Color: Brown.
  • Head Pattern: Plain, Special (unique patterns or features)
  • Crown Color: Iridescent green
  • Forehead Color: Iridescent green
  • Nape Color: Iridescent green
  • Throat Color: Red
  • Cere color: No Data
Splitbar

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Broad-tailed Hummingbird Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 10-11 cm (4-4.5 in)
  • Weight: 3 g (0.1 oz)
  • Size: Size 1. Very Small (3 - 5 in)
  • Color: Green, Red, Gray
  • Underparts: Gray-washed white with green sides and flanks.
  • Upperparts: Iridescent green
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Broad-tailed-Hummingbird Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Hovers when feeding., Swift, dashing direct flight.
  • Wingspan Range: 13 cm (5 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Fan-shaped Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Banded
  • Upper Tail: Green
  • Under Tail: Green
  • Leg Color: Black
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Family Hummingbird (Trochilidae)_blue
Species Selasphorus platycercus
Length4 - 4.5 Inches
Wingspan5 Inches

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

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

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

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

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

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

Flight Pattern

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