Broad-Billed Hummingbird: Arizona's Most Dazzling Canyon Jewel

Male Appearance

The male Broad-billed is among the most unmistakable hummingbirds in North America. The plumage is a rich, saturated blue-green that covers the crown, throat, breast, back, and belly with almost no variation --- creating a uniform blaze of iridescence that shifts from emerald to sapphire depending on angle. The bill is long, straight, and brilliant red with a black tip --- the red-billed effect is visible at considerable distance and is often the first identification feature noticed. The tail is dark bluish-black, slightly forked, and combined with the overall blue-green body gives the bird a sleek, uniform appearance quite unlike any other US hummingbird. In direct overhead sunlight the bird can appear almost luminous.

Female Appearance

The female Broad-billed is subtly but distinctly patterned. Upperparts are metallic green; underparts are a clean, pale gray-white (not buffy, not streaked) --- this clean pale belly contrasts sharply with the green back. A clear pale supercilium (eyestripe) runs from the base of the bill past the eye, a useful field mark at close range. The bill shows red at the base, becoming dusky toward the tip. The tail is dark with limited white tips on the outer rectrices. The combination of pale gray underparts, green back, pale eyestripe, and red-based bill is distinctive. Compared to the female White-eared Hummingbird, the Broad-billed has a less bold white stripe, a cleaner belly, and a longer bill.

Similar Species & How to Tell Them Apart

• White-eared Hummingbird --- Bold white eye stripe (broader and more contrasting than Broad-billed female's supercilium), spotted throat; male has green and purple head, not all blue-green.

• Berylline Hummingbird --- Uniform bright green with rufous wings and tail; bill is dark, not red.

• Blue-throated Mountain-Gem --- Much larger; male has a distinctly blue throat and bold white tail corners; female is gray-green, not white below.

• Rivoli's Hummingbird --- Much larger; male has a purple crown and green gorget; no red bill.

• Anna's Hummingbird --- No red on bill; male has rose-red gorget; found primarily in California and coastal West.

The male Broad-billed with its red bill and saturated blue-green body is essentially unmistakable in its Arizona range.

• March: First Broad-billeds arrive in SE Arizona canyons --- often among the earliest returning Mexican hummingbirds. Watch arrival reports on eBird and regional listservs.

• April--May: Breeding season underway; males are actively displaying and defending territories. This is an excellent time to observe courtship behavior and territorial disputes.

• June--August: Peak summer season; both resident breeders and wandering non-breeders are present. Late July and August bring monsoon moisture that triggers an explosion of flowering plants and a secondary surge in hummingbird activity.

• September: Departure begins; most Broad-billeds have left US territory by mid-to-late September, though stragglers may linger into early October.

Best timing: Late April through August, with the monsoon months of July--August offering particularly dramatic conditions. Arrive at canyon feeder stations early morning (7--10 AM) for peak activity.

For Broad-billed Hummingbirds in Arizona canyon habitat:

• Feeder type: Both saucer-style and traditional bottle feeders work well. The broad bill that gives the species its name fits standard feeder ports without issue.

• Placement: Position feeders at canyon-habitat edges --- near sycamore or cottonwood trees if possible. Shade is important during Arizona summer; feeders in direct midday sun overheat nectar and require more frequent changes.

• Multiple feeders: Running 4--6 feeders rather than one or two large ones dramatically increases species diversity and reduces single-male monopolization. Arizona birders regularly maintain 8--12 feeders at productive canyon properties.

• Nectar rotation: In summer monsoon heat, change nectar every 2--3 days; during cooler early spring months, every 4--5 days is acceptable.

• Height: 4--6 feet off the ground is ideal; place some feeders in partial canopy shadow for shyer species.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird breeds in the United States, making it more than a vagrant --- it is a genuine if small component of the Arizona breeding avifauna. Females build compact cup nests of plant fibers, grass, and spider silk, typically placed in riparian vegetation --- willow, sycamore, or cottonwood --- at low to moderate heights, often over or near water.

Clutch size is two eggs, and the female alone incubates for approximately 14--18 days. Nestlings fledge at roughly 21--25 days. In productive canyon habitat the species is capable of two broods per season. Males play no role in nest building or chick rearing, instead spending the breeding season displaying, defending territories, and competing for feeder access.

The shuttle-display of a male Broad-billed --- arcing back and forth before a hovering female with wings producing a distinctive metallic trill --- is one of the more spectacular courtship performances visible in Arizona hummingbird watching.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird is Least Concern globally (IUCN). It is common and widespread in western Mexico from Sonora south through Oaxaca, and its US population --- though small --- is stable or possibly increasing slightly as birder-maintained feeders expand food availability in Arizona canyon communities.

The principal threats in the US context are habitat degradation in the riparian sycamore canyon systems that concentrate the species --- drought stress on canyon streams, invasive species pressure (particularly buffelgrass and Lehmann lovegrass altering fire regimes), and the long-term effects of reduced groundwater on the perennial streams that anchor these canyons. Supporting organizations like The Nature Conservancy's Arizona programs, the Sky Island Alliance, and the Friends of Madera Canyon directly benefits Broad-billed Hummingbirds and the extraordinary biodiversity of the sky-island canyon systems.