Broad-Tailed  Hummingbird

(Selasphorus Platycercus)

Broad-Tailed  Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird species often confused with the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. The metallic wing-trill of the males fills the summer air.

BILL: Long and straight.

SIZE: Length: 4-4.25 inches long with 5.25 inches wingspan, long and rounded with rufous edging tails.

WEIGHT: around 3.6 grams, the female tends to be slightly larger than the male.

COLOR: rosy-pink red, white, green, black, buff, iridescent.

OPEN WOODLANDS: meadows and open woodlands, especially pinyon-juniper, pine-oak, evergreen, and montane scrub and thickets from around 5,000–10,500 feet elevation.

NEST: tiny cup-shaped nest out of spiderwebs and gossamer.

EGGS: 2, measures 0.5 inches, white in color and unmarked.

INCUBATION: 14 - 17 days, by female only.

NESTLING PHASE: 21-26 days.

FLEDGLING PHASE: 21-26 days.

NECTAR from flowers such as larkspur, red columbine, indian paintbrush, sage, and scarlet gilia as well as sugar water from feeders.

INSECTS small insects, and spiders.

HOVERING to snatch insects from the air or above flowers to drink nectar; males perform spectacular aerial displays for females, involving a series of climbs and dives while loudly trilling their wings.

SUMMER - Guatemala to Mexico, and Western United States and Western Canada.

WINTER - Southern Mexico and Guatemala.