Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

10 cm (4") Common in Rocky Mountains.

Male: told from Ruby-throated hummer by its rufous on body and distinctive wing sound - a shrill metallic whistle.

Female: broad green tail shows rufous. Not safely told from female Rufous' or Allen's. Calliope female is much smaller and its wings extend beyond the tail.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Male - Littleton, Colorado - July 27, 2011

Credit: Chuck Roberts

Female - in flight in Whitaker, Salt Lake City, UT, US - August 17, 2008

Credit: Bryan Jones

Female in flight in Littleton, Colorado on August 3, 2009

Credit: Chuck Roberts

Credit: Mark Watson

Watch and learn

Videos

4 videos

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Credit: Tim Avery

Silent Spring (student video)

Credit: Nicole Deering

Broad-tailed Hummingbird - Beatty's Guest Ranch - Miller Canyon, AZ - Sept. 19, '10

Credit: Phil Brown

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in the Sandia Mountains

Credit: Linda Rockwell

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:456-broad-tailed-hummingbird-female:1:1 Source: 456 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Female), row 1

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:455-broad-tailed-hummingbird-male:1:1 Source: 455 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Male), row 1