Hummingbirds are only found naturally in the Americas. There are no native hummingbird species in Europe or Asia. However, a few hummingbird species have been introduced to some areas outside their native range.
Hummingbirds of the Americas
There are over 300 different species of hummingbirds, all of which are found exclusively in the Americas. Hummingbirds are most diverse and widespread in Central and South America. Some species do range north into North America as far north as Alaska and Canada, but no hummingbirds naturally occur in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or Antarctica.
Here are some key facts about the geographic distribution of hummingbirds:
- Most hummingbird species (about 140) are found in South America, especially Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
- Central America is home to about 100 different hummingbird species.
- Around 50 species occur in Mexico.
- The United States and Canada host about 17 breeding species of hummingbirds, though more species show up there as migrants or vagrants.
- No hummingbirds live naturally outside of the Americas.
So in their native ranges, hummingbirds are strictly New World birds. Every species occurs in North America, Central America, South America, or the Caribbean.
Introduced Hummingbird Populations
While no hummingbirds naturally live in the Old World, a few species have been introduced and become established in small parts of Europe and Asia. Here are some examples:
- Rufous Hummingbird: This is a common hummingbird species that breeds in northwest North America and migrates south to Mexico for the winter. Some Rufous Hummingbirds started appearing in southeast Alaska during the winter instead of migrating south. From Alaska, a few individuals migrated west across the Bering Sea to Russia, instead of south. A tiny breeding population of Rufous Hummingbirds became established on two of the Kuril Islands southeast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. This introduced population still persists, though it remains very small, with just a few dozen individuals.
- Black-chinned Hummingbird: A couple of Black-chinned Hummingbirds, a species widespread in western North America, showed up on the Portuguese island of Terceira in the Azores in the late 1990s or early 2000s. At least one pair successfully nested there, raising chicks. Since then, a tiny population of about 10 birds has remained on the island.
- Anna’s Hummingbird: This west coast hummingbird was introduced to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island in the 1940s. It spread to nearby islands and the mainland over subsequent decades. Anna’s Hummingbird has also been introduced to Chile and Argentina, where small populations have become established.
So while the vast majority of hummingbirds live exclusively in the New World, a few vagrant individuals have managed to colonize tiny parts of the Old World. But there are still no self-sustaining hummingbird populations anywhere in Europe or mainland Asia.
Why Don’t Hummingbirds Live Naturally in Europe or Asia?
There are a few key reasons why hummingbirds are confined to the Americas and don’t occur naturally in Europe or Asia:
- Historical barriers: Hummingbirds evolved in the Americas and have never been able to naturally expand their range beyond the continents of North and South America, which are surrounded by geographic barriers like oceans.
- Climate: The tropical and subtropical climates that most hummingbird species are adapted to are not found naturally in most of Europe or Asia. The few hummingbirds introduced to temperate regions rely on artificial feeders and heated greenhouses to survive cold winters.
- Competition: Europe and Asia have their own native nectar-feeding bird species that fill the ecological niches occupied by hummingbirds in the Americas, like sunbirds and honeyeaters.
- Lack of co-evolution: There are no hummingbird-adapted flowers in Europe or Asia, since hummingbirds did not co-evolve with Old World plants.
While a few lucky individuals have managed to colonize tiny parts of Europe and Asia, the lack of suitable habitat, food sources, and winter warmth make it unlikely that substantial hummingbird populations could ever thrive there without human assistance.
Conclusions
In summary:
- Hummingbirds are only found naturally in the Americas.
- Well over 300 species occur in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
- A few individuals have been introduced in small numbers to parts of Europe and Asia, but there are no native populations there.
- Historical barriers, climate differences, competition, and lack of co-evolution prevent hummingbirds from inhabiting Europe or Asia in large numbers.
So while vagrant hummingbirds occasionally appear outside their native ranges, these New World birds are not naturally found anywhere in Europe or Asia. The hummingbirds will remain unique to the Americas unless introduced deliberately to new regions. But major populations are unlikely to ever thrive in the Old World without extensive human support.
