Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Scientific name: Selasphorus platycercus
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird of montane woodlands and meadows in the western United States, Mexico, and northern Central America. It is a classic bird of high-elevation aspen, pine, and spruce-fir forests, where males announce themselves with a loud, metallic wing trill as they zip past. Migratory populations breed in the Rockies and Great Basin and winter mostly in Mexico and northern Central America.
At a Glance
Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)
Clade: Mellisugini – “Bee” hummingbirds
Genus group: Selasphorus — small, often rufous or green-backed hummingbirds with loud wing sounds and fiery gorgets
Range: Breeds from the western United States (e.g., Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming) south through the highlands of Mexico; winters from northern Mexico south to northern Guatemala
Habitat: Montane open woodlands and forests (aspen, pine, spruce-fir, oak, pinyon-juniper), forest edges, willow-lined streams, mountain meadows, and montane riparian zones; in winter, thorn and oak forests and mixed oak–pine and fir forests
Elevation: Often 1,500–3,500 m (about 5,000–11,500 ft) in breeding areas; wintering at somewhat lower elevations in Mexico and Guatemala
Length: About 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)
Weight: About 3–4 g (0.10–0.14 oz)
Number of mature individuals: 9,800,000
Population trend: Decreasing
Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
Name Origin
The genus name Selasphorus derives from Greek roots often interpreted as “light-bearing” or “glowing,” referring to the brilliant, iridescent gorgets and crowns of many species in this group. The species name platycercus combines Greek platy- (“broad” or “flat”) and kerkos (“tail”), describing the relatively broad tail compared with some other hummingbirds. Together, Selasphorus platycercus can be read as the “glowing broad-tailed hummingbird,” highlighting its bright throat and distinctive tail.
Subspecies and Distribution
Broad-tailed Hummingbird is generally treated as monotypic — no widely recognized subspecies; populations differ mainly in migratory behavior and geography rather than named forms.
It breeds in highland regions from the western United States south into the mountains of Mexico. Migratory populations breed from the central and southern Rocky Mountains and Great Basin (e.g., Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico) into northern Mexico, while more resident or less migratory populations occur in central Mexican highlands. In winter it ranges from northern Mexico south to northern Guatemala, overlapping with resident highland populations in Mexico.
Legend
Green Resident
Yellow Breeding
Blue Non-breeding
Species Overview
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is the characteristic high-elevation hummingbird of the Intermountain West, where it is a key pollinator of many montane wildflowers. Males produce a distinctive, loud metallic wing trill as they fly, making them recognizable even when seen only as a silhouette overhead. With a global population estimated at about 9,800,000 mature individuals and documented long‑term declines in Selasphorus hummingbirds, Broad-tailed is still classed as Least Concern but is considered a species of conservation interest in parts of its range.
Identification
Male
Adult males have shimmering green upperparts, a clean whitish underside, and a bright rose‑magenta gorget that can glow intensely when viewed head‑on in good light. The crown is green, the flanks are buffy to cinnamon‑washed, and the tail is relatively broad with rufous bases and darker tips on the feathers, appearing somewhat rounded compared with narrower‑tailed Selasphorus relatives. The bill is straight and dark, and in flight males are best recognized by their loud trilling wing sound produced by the outer primaries, especially during display flights and fast passes.
Female
Females lack the full rose gorget and instead show green upperparts with pale underparts marked by buffy or cinnamon wash on the sides and flanks. The throat is whitish with variable small dark spots, and the tail is broad with greenish to rufous tones and whiter tips on the outer feathers. Juveniles resemble adult females; young males gradually develop the rose throat patch and more male‑like plumage in their first year.
Habitat and Behavior
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds breed in open montane woodlands and forest edges, especially aspen groves, mixed conifer forests (spruce–fir, pine, Douglas-fir), pinyon–juniper woodlands, and willow‑lined streams and meadows. Nests are typically placed on horizontal branches in trees such as aspen, conifers, or oaks. During migration and on the wintering grounds, they use a range of habitats including thorn and oak forests, mixed oak–pine and cypress–fir forests, and gardens where flowers are abundant.
The species feeds primarily on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants, including columbines, larkspurs, paintbrushes, and many other montane species, as well as from feeders where available. It also takes small insects and spiders captured in flight or gleaned from foliage, providing essential protein for adults and nestlings. Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are migratory in the United States and northern Mexico, arriving in the Southwest in late winter to early spring and moving northward and upslope through spring, then returning south to winter in Mexico and northern Central America.
Population and Threats
Broad-tailed Hummingbird has an estimated global population of about 9,800,000 mature individuals, with a large proportion breeding in the United States and highland Mexico. However, analyses of long-term and recent trends indicate that Selasphorus hummingbirds, including Broad-tailed, Allen’s, and Rufous, have been declining since 1970, with declines accelerating in recent decades. Breeding Bird Survey data suggest at least a slight rangewide decrease, and the species is considered susceptible to habitat changes in montane forests and meadows.
Major concerns include loss and alteration of montane breeding habitats (such as aspen, spruce-fir, and pinyon–juniper forests) due to climate change, fire regime shifts, forest management, and development. Changes in flowering plant communities, drought, and potential effects of pesticides on insect prey and nectar plants may also contribute to declines.
Conservation
Conservation of Broad-tailed Hummingbird focuses on maintaining healthy montane woodlands, meadows, and riparian areas across its breeding range, and protecting highland forests in its Mexican and Central American wintering grounds. Managing forests to retain aspen and mixed conifer structure, preserving wet meadows and riparian corridors, and conserving native wildflower diversity all benefit this species. Continued monitoring of population trends and research into drivers of decline, including climate and land‑use change, will be important for ensuring Broad-tailed Hummingbird remains a regular breeder in the mountain West.
taken in Guatemala
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taken in the United States
Related species in the Selasphorus genus (9 species total):
Please note: The content provided in this article reflects Anthony’s personal experience and photographic approach. Results can vary depending on light, weather, location, equipment, subject behavior, and field conditions.