The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is the most common and widespread hummingbird species found east of the Mississippi River in North America. This small, energetic bird is a summer resident across much of eastern North America, breeding in a range that extends from southern Canada southward across most of the eastern United States. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrates south to spend the winter in Central America and is the only breeding hummingbird in much of its habitat. Understanding where this species is native provides insights into its natural history, conservation, and how breeding populations have shifted over time.
Breeding Range
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird breeds across a large portion of eastern North America. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the breeding range extends across the following areas:
- Most of the eastern United States from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast, north up into southern Canada
- As far north as Nova Scotia across to Saskatchewan
- South along the Gulf Coast through eastern Texas and along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and south Florida
Within this broad range, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird can be found nesting in a diversity of habitats during the summer breeding season, including meadows, woodlands, gardens, and orchards. This range closely matches the native habitat of flowering plants that provide the nectar that sustains these small birds.
Wintering Range
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrates south in the fall to spend the winter in areas with warmer climates and adequate food resources. Its winter range extends from southern Mexico across Central America into Panama, occupying primarily the following areas:
- Southern Mexico
- Belize
- Guatemala
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panama
Within this wintering range, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is often found in forest, woodland, and scrub habitats where flowering plants are available for foraging. Some southern populations may be year-round residents, while most individuals migrate back north in the spring to breeding areas.
Range Expansion
The native breeding range of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird has expanded north and west over time as flowering plants spread and climate patterns shifted. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, some key aspects of this range expansion include:
- Natural range extensions along river drainages and habitat corridors
- Range increases northward associated with warmer average temperatures
- Greater abundance of flowering gardens and ornamental plantings provided more habitat and food resources
- Now breeds well into the Midwest and has expanded west to the eastern edge of the Great Plains
This range expansion has allowed the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to become more widespread and occupy a larger breeding territory across eastern North America over the last century.
Native Plants
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s native breeding range closely corresponds to the distribution of several key flowering plants that provide important food resources. Some native plants associated with the hummingbird’s natural range include:
- Trumpet Creeper
- Cardinal Flower
- Bee Balm
- Columbine
- Morning Glory
- Indian Paintbrush
- Jewelweed
- Wild Bergamot
- Fire Pink
- Coltsfoot
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has evolved alongside these and other native plants that provide nectar through long corolla tubes accessible by the hummingbird’s specialized beak and tongue. These flowering plants help sustain the hummingbird across its range during the breeding season.
Important Habitats
Within its native breeding range, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird uses a variety of natural and manmade habitats. According to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, key habitat types include:
- Open woods and forest edges – Allows for nesting among branches and understory foraging
- Old orchards and gardens – Provides flowers, flowering shrubs, and trees for feeding
- Pine savannas – Scattered pines provide nesting sites and flowers provide food
- Flowering meadows along rivers and streams – Riparian areas provide nectar resources and nest sites
- Scrublands and thickets – Dense vegetation supplies cover and insects for feeding
- Backyard gardens and feeders – Cultivated flowering plants and nectar supplements provide food
This diversity of natural and human-influenced habitats allows the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to flourish across its breeding range.
Conservation Status
With a large population and expanding range, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is considered a species of Least Concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Population trends indicate increasing numbers in recent decades as the species has expanded its breeding range north and west. Providing nectar sources through gardens and feeders has likely contributed to its population growth.
However, some key threats on its wintering grounds may put pressure on Ruby-throated Hummingbird populations. These include:
- Habitat loss in Central America due to development and agriculture
- Pesticide use reducing insect food sources
- Climate change impacting flowering plants and migration patterns
Conservation practices like preserving tropical forests along migration routes, reducing pesticide use, and planting native nectar sources can help protect the species. But for now, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird remains common across most of its breeding range.
Conclusion
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a broad native breeding range across eastern North America and Canada south to the Gulf Coast. This range closely corresponds with the distribution of native flowering plants that provide nectar for the species during the breeding season. The hummingbird migrates to wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America where it occupies tropical forest and scrub habitat. While still common, habitat loss on wintering grounds and climate change impacts represent long-term threats. But this species remains widespread across its native range, expanding north and west over the past century as warmer weather and more flowering plants facilitated its growth. With a strong association between the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the native flora of eastern North America, conserving both the plants and the pollinators together will be key to ensuring the species continues thriving across its natural breeding territory.
