How to Identify aBlack-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri · 3.5 in (9 cm)
Male vs. female
Male
Metallic green above, whitish below, with a velvety black throat bordered underneath by a narrow iridescent violet strip.
Female
Green above and pale below with a plain whitish throat and white tail tips.
Male photo: lwolfartist / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0 · Second photo: Vickie J Anderson, http://www.wildlifeimagesupclose.com / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Field marks
- Black throat with a thin violet lower border
- Overall plain green and white
- Constantly pumps its tail while hovering
- Slightly downcurved bill
Similar species
What it sounds like
A soft, dry "tchew" and a low warbling chatter.
Behaviour that gives it away
Pumps its tail almost constantly while hovering, which distinguishes it from other western hummingbirds at a glance.
Habitat & range
Canyons, riverside groves, desert washes and gardens across the West.
When you'll see it
A summer visitor that arrives to breed in western and southwestern North America.
What it eats
Nectar, tiny insects and spiders, plus sugar water.
Did you know?
Its violet throat band shows only at exactly the right angle, so the throat usually just looks solid black.
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