Hummingbirds are found naturally only in the Americas, from Alaska to Chile, with the greatest variety of species found in the Andes Mountains and tropical regions of Central and South America. Here we will explore the ranges of 52 different hummingbird species across the Americas.
What are some of the smallest and largest hummingbird species?
Hummingbirds range dramatically in size from the tiny Bee Hummingbird up to the Giant Hummingbird.
Bee Hummingbird
The Bee Hummingbird holds the record as the world’s smallest bird, measuring just 2 inches long and weighing 2 grams. This tiny hummingbird is found only on the island of Cuba.
Giant Hummingbird
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Giant Hummingbird is the largest species, measuring 8.6 inches long. This hefty hummer is found along the Andes Mountains from Ecuador to Chile.
Which hummingbirds have the widest distributions in North America?
Several hummingbird species have very broad ranges across North America. Here are some of the most widespread:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird breeds across most of eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Texas. It migrates south to Mexico and Central America for the winter.
Rufous Hummingbird
The Rufous Hummingbird breeds from Alaska south to California and the Rocky Mountains. It migrates 2,000 miles each way between its breeding grounds and wintering grounds in Mexico.
Anna’s Hummingbird
Unlike other North American hummingbirds, Anna’s Hummingbirds have adapted to remain year-round in the mild climates along the Pacific Coast from Baja California to British Columbia.
Where do hummingbirds live in Central America?
Central America serves as a migration route and winter home for dozens of North American hummingbird species. Resident hummingbird species in Central America include:
Green-breasted Mango
This medium-sized hummingbird lives from southern Mexico south to Panama in a variety of habitats.
Violet Sabrewing
The largest hummingbird found in Central America, the Violet Sabrewing inhabits humid mountain forests from southern Mexico to western Panama.
White-necked Jacobin
With its white collar and long tail, this species prefers lowland tropical rainforests from southern Mexico to Panama.
What Andean hummingbirds occur at the highest elevations?
Several Andean hummingbirds are found at extremely high elevations in the mountains of South America. Here are some record-setters:
Giant Hummingbird
This hummingbird has been recorded at elevations up to 14,765 feet in the Andes Mountains, the highest altitudinal record for any hummingbird.
Oasis Hummingbird
Found in Chile and western Argentina, the Oasis Hummingbird breeds at elevations between 9,500-13,000 feet.
Hillstar
There are several Andean Hillstar species found at high elevations, including the Ecuadorian Hillstar which occurs above 11,000 feet.
What are some of South America’s most colorful hummingbirds?
Dozens of fantastically colored hummingbirds live in South America. Here are a few stand-outs:
Purple-throated Woodstar
With its vibrant purple gorget and green body, this dazzling hummingbird lives along the west Andean slope and coastal regions from Colombia to Peru.
Sapphire-vented Puffleg
This rare hummer from Ecuador and Colombia has a sparkling blue patch under its tail. It occurs in cloud forest and paramo at 7,500-11,500 feet elevation.
Amethyst Woodstar
The male Amethyst Woodstar has an iridescent purple crown, rump, and throat, contrasting sharply with its white underparts. It inhabits dry temperate forest and scrub along the Andes from Venezuela to Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Which hummingbirds are endemic to certain islands in the Caribbean?
Island isolation has led to the evolution of many endemic hummingbird species in the Caribbean. Here are a few examples:
Bee Hummingbird
As mentioned earlier, the world’s smallest bird is found only on Cuba.
Vervain Hummingbird
This tiny species measuring 2.4 inches long is found only on the island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
With its short tail and distinctive crest, this hummingbird is restricted to the Lesser Antilles islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica.
| Species | Range |
|---|---|
| Bee Hummingbird | Cuba |
| Vervain Hummingbird | Hispaniola |
| Antillean Crested Hummingbird | Guadeloupe, Dominica |
What are some hummingbirds adapted to arid climates?
While many hummingbirds occupy tropical rainforests and cloud forests, some specialize in dry desert or scrub habitats. These desert-adapted hummingbirds include:
Lucifer Hummingbird
With its sharply curved bill, the Lucifer Hummingbird feeds on agave flowers and insects in arid canyons of the Southwest United States and Mexico.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Found in dry inter-Andean valleys and Pacific lowlands from Venezuela to Peru, this small hummingbird survives in hot climates.
Peruvian Sheartail
Adapted to the arid coastal lowlands of Peru and northern Chile, this streamlined hummingbird can tolerate both hot and cold climates.
| Species | Range | Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Lucifer Hummingbird | Southwest U.S., Mexico | Arid canyons |
| Buff-winged Starfrontlet | Venezuela to Peru | Dry inter-Andean valleys |
| Peruvian Sheartail | Peru, Chile | Arid Pacific lowlands |
Which hummingbirds make the longest migrations?
The following hummingbirds make remarkably long annual migrations of over 3,000 miles between their breeding and wintering grounds:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
This eastern North American species migrates across the Gulf of Mexico between southern U.S./Canada and Central America, a journey of 3,900 miles round-trip.
Rufous Hummingbird
The feisty Rufous Hummingbird migrates up to 3,900 miles one-way between Alaska and Mexico, an 8,000 mile round trip!
Allen’s Hummingbird
Allen’s Hummingbirds breed along California’s coast and migrate south through Mexico to winter as far south as Guatemala, covering 5,000 miles roundtrip.
| Species | Migration Route | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Between southern Canada/U.S. and Central America | 3,900 miles round-trip |
| Rufous Hummingbird | Between Alaska and Mexico | 8,000 miles round-trip |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | Between California and Guatemala | 5,000 miles round-trip |
Which hummingbirds have the smallest ranges?
Some hummingbirds are endemic to tiny islands or remote mountaintops, giving them extremely small ranges. These include:
Esmeraldas Woodstar
This Critically Endangered hummingbird is found only along a small stretch of coast in northern Ecuador.
Turquoise-throated Puffleg
Restricted to a single mountaintop in northwest Ecuador, this endangered hummingbird’s entire range is less than 5 square miles.
Mangoverde Hummingbird
This Peruvian hummingbird is limited to 6-12 small valleys along the arid Andean slopes of northwestern Peru.
| Species | Range | Range Size |
|---|---|---|
| Esmeraldas Woodstar | Coastal northwest Ecuador | ~100 km stretch |
| Turquoise-throated Puffleg | Single Ecuadorian mountaintop | < 5 square miles |
| Mangoverde Hummingbird | 6-12 valleys in NW Peru | Very restricted |
Conclusion
With over 300 species, hummingbirds display an incredible diversity across the Americas, occupying habitats from Alaska to Chile and everywhere in between. Their small size and high metabolism has driven an amazing set of adaptations, from minute bee-sized bodies to giant size, long-distance migrations, and survival in extreme environments. Hopefully this overview provides insight into the ranges of some of the most fascinating hummingbirds on Earth.
