Appearance of the Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
The Broad-Tailed Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird. Both the male and female both have iridescent green backs and crowns with a white breast. The gorget of the male is a vibrant red hue. Females, duller in color, have rust-colored flanks and underside and a tail that is tipped in white.
In flight, the wings of a Broad-Tailed Hummingbird produce a noticeably unusual ‘trilling’ noise, unique to the breed.
Geography of the Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds spend their summers in mountain forest across the American southwest (Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and west Texas) and north-central Mexico. After the end of summer, these birds move as far south as Guatemala.
Local Environments of the Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Typically, Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds are found in open woodland areas – among pinyon-juniper, pine-oak, brush hillsides, scrub and thicket areas – generally where flowering shrubs are present.
In some areas of habitat, cool air descends into valleys at night, leaving warmer areas upslope at night, resulting in a phenomenon known as Thermal Inversion. This unique situation causes the male Broad-Tailed Hummingbird, who does not nest with the female and hatchlings, to venture upslope to conserve its body heat.
Birdfeeders.com is your leading online source for hummingbird feeders, hummingbird nectar, and bird baths. We offer the broadest and deepest set of quality bird feeders to make your hummingbird watching experience even more enjoyable! |
