North America is home to over 25 hummingbird species, but most backyards will see only 1-3. Knowing which species visit your area — and what to look for — makes the experience of feeding hummingbirds even more rewarding.
Here are the 10 species you're most likely to encounter, ordered roughly by how common they are at backyard feeders.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Eastern U.S. & Canada
How to Identify: Males have an iridescent ruby-red throat (gorget) that can appear black in shade. Females are white-breasted with green backs.
Fun Fact: The only breeding hummingbird in eastern North America. They fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico — 500+ miles — during migration.
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
Pacific Coast (year-round)
How to Identify: Males have a brilliant rose-pink head and throat. Larger than most species. Females have a small red throat patch.
Fun Fact: One of few hummingbird species that don't migrate. They can survive near-freezing temperatures by entering torpor at night.
Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus
Western U.S., breeds in Pacific Northwest & Alaska
How to Identify: Males are bright orange-rusty all over with an iridescent red-orange gorget. Females are green above with rusty flanks.
Fun Fact: Pound for pound, makes one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird — nearly 4,000 miles one way from Alaska to Mexico.
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
Western U.S.
How to Identify: Males have a black chin with a purple band at the bottom that's only visible in direct light. Very similar to Ruby-throated but ranges don't overlap.
Fun Fact: The western counterpart to the Ruby-throated. They pump their tails constantly while hovering — a reliable field ID.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
Mountain West (CO, UT, AZ, NM)
How to Identify: Males produce a distinctive metallic trilling sound with their wing feathers during flight. Rose-magenta gorget.
Fun Fact: You can identify males by sound alone — their wing trill is audible from 100+ feet away.
Calliope Hummingbird
Selasphorus calliope
Pacific Northwest, Mountain West
How to Identify: The smallest bird in North America. Males have distinctive magenta streaks on a white throat — not a solid gorget.
Fun Fact: Weighing about 2.5 grams (less than a penny), it's the smallest long-distance migratory bird in the world.
Costa's Hummingbird
Calypte costae
Desert Southwest (AZ, southern CA, NV)
How to Identify: Males have an extraordinary purple crown and gorget with elongated throat feathers that flare like a mustache.
Fun Fact: Adapted to extreme desert heat — they can nest and breed in temperatures exceeding 100°F.
Allen's Hummingbird
Selasphorus sasin
Coastal California, southern Oregon
How to Identify: Nearly identical to Rufous — orange body, green back. Ranges overlap in Oregon, making field ID extremely challenging.
Fun Fact: A non-migratory subspecies has established a permanent population in the Los Angeles basin.
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Cynanthus latirostris
Southern Arizona, southwestern NM
How to Identify: Males are stunning blue-green all over with a distinctive bright red-orange bill tipped in black.
Fun Fact: One of the most colorful hummingbirds in North America — but you'll need to visit the Arizona-Mexico borderlands to see one.
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Amazilia yucatanensis
South Texas Gulf Coast
How to Identify: Green above with a buff-colored belly and a bright red bill. Larger than most U.S. hummingbirds.
Fun Fact: Unlike most hummingbirds that migrate south in fall, Buff-bellieds actually move northward along the Gulf Coast in winter.
How to Attract More Species
The best way to attract a wider variety of hummingbirds is to provide both natural food sources and feeders:
- Plant native flowers. Salvias, bee balm, trumpet vine, and columbine are all hummingbird magnets.
- Use clean, dye-free nectar. Our nectar recipe guide covers the right formula.
- Offer multiple feeders. Aggressive species (especially Rufous) will defend a single feeder. Multiple feeders spaced apart give shy species a chance.
- Provide a water feature. Hummingbirds love misters and shallow drippers for bathing.
- Keep feeders clean. Follow our cleaning guide to maintain healthy feeding stations.
Keep exploring: get the science-backed nectar recipe, learn when to put out feeders in your state, see why red dye is risky, and read the FAQ. Or measure and mix with NectarBloom™ 2 lb.
Fresh nectar in a minute.
No boiling, no dye. The same sugar hummingbird flowers make. One ingredient, nothing else.
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