Hummingbirds are a welcome addition to most any landscape, with most people anxiously awaiting their arrival. In Alabama, people who are awaiting the arrival of the hummingbirds to their yard or flowerbed can be treated by the visit of up to eleven different species. These are the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Rufous Hummingbird, the Black-chinned Hummingbird, the Allen’s Hummingbird, the Buff-bellied Hummingbird, the Calliope Hummingbird, the Broad-tailed Hummingbird, the Anna’s Hummingbird, the Magnificent Hummingbird, the Blue-throated Hummingbird and the Green Violet-ear Hummingbird.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has an “emerald green back”. The male of this Hummingbird is identified by a “ruby red throat and a forked tail.” The female of this species has a white breast and a rounded tail with white tips. The female is slightly larger than the male and bill is a little longer.
The Rufous Hummingbird can be identified by the “non-iridescent rufous color on the crown, tail and sides” of the male. The male will also have a “bright orange-red throat and a white breast.” The female will be identifiable by its green back and crown along with a white breast and a streaked throat. The female also has tail feathers that are rufous “on the sides and base and the tips are white.” The female Rufous Hummingbird is slightly larger than the male.
The Black-chinned Hummingbird is identifiable by the unmistakable black throat of the male of the species. The male Black-chinned Hummingbird also has a “purple throat band with a white collar and a green breast.” Unlike most species of Hummingbirds, the female is the more colorful of the sexes. It has a “white breast, white throat with black spots.” The feathers located down the sides of the female are buff with white tips. The backs and crowns of both sexes are green.
The Allen’s Hummingbirds have “rufous colored feathers on their backs and sides.” This color on the backs and sides is where the similarities end between the two sexes. The male has “an iridescent coppery-red throat” with a metallic-bronze-green head and back. The females of this species have a white throat with red spots on it, a white breast, their tail feathers are rounded and the outer tips are white. The females are a little larger than the males.
The Buff-bellied Hummingbirds have “metallic backs, crowns and throats with buff or rusty colored sides, belly and tail feathers.” Buff-bellied Hummingbirds also have white-eye rings. The males of this species are larger than the females.
The Calliope Hummingbird is best known for the “whiskered effect” created by purple rays on its otherwise white throat of the male. The back and crown of the male are metallic green and it will weigh about 2.5g. The female of this species, which is a little larger than the male, has a “green back and crown, white throat with dark streaks, buff sides and white-tipped tail corners.”
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is another species of hummingbirds where the male and female do not resemble each other. The male of this species have backs and crowns that are metallic green while the back and crown of a female is also green, but not as brilliant in color as the male. The male also has a white breast and a throat that is rose colored, while the throat of the female is white with black spots. The tail feathers are rounded.
One of the largest species of hummingbirds to be seen in Alabama is the Anna’s Hummingbird. The male of this species averages about 4.31g and has a breast that is grey, a throat and crown that is dark red and a metallic green back. The female of this species has a breast that is also grey, but somewhat lighter than the male’s, a back that is green, a throat that is white with red spots and their tail feathers have white tips. Not only is the size of this hummingbird make it unusual, but it also has a song and is among three species of hummingbirds that live permanently in the United States.
The Magnificent Hummingbird another large species, with the males weighing about 7.7g and females weighing 6.4g. The male of the species is the more colorful of the species with a forehead and crown that is purple, a back that is dark green, a throat that is metallic green and a breast that is black. In vast contrast, the female has a back and crown that is olive green, a breast that is grey and a throat that is grey with light streaking. The female also has light “grey tips on its outer tail feathers.”
The Blue-throated Hummingbird is another one of the large species of hummingbirds with the male of the species weighing 8.4g and the female weighing 6.8g. Both sexes of the Blue-throated Hummingbird have breasts that are dark gray, backs and crowns that are green and they have white tips on their tail feathers. They also have white stripes above and below their eyes. The male also has a bright blue throat and dark blue tail feathers.
The Green-violet Eared Hummingbird is distinguishable by the violet patch of feathers that create a triangle that runs from under the eye and down the neck on the male. The male also has a “bright, pale color that glitters” and its throat and breast are fringed with blue, while its tail has a “black band located toward the end and has yellow/green tips” as well as black feet and a black bill. The female is very similar in color to the male, except that its colors are more dull, the glittering green in only on the throat and may have a little bronzing.
Hummingbirds in Alabama are a welcome part of spring, just like in most parts of the United States. Having the ability to distinguish between the species of hummingbirds that are enjoying the feeders or the gardens in the area can be almost as enjoyable as actually watching these beautiful little birds as they go about their daily chores. Hopefully reading more about the species that frequently visit gardens and feeders in Alabama will help those who are curious about these small, beautiful birds.
Hummingbirds in Alabama
Hummingbirds are a welcome addition to most any landscape, with most people anxiously awaiting their arrival. In Alabama, people who are awaiting the arrival of the hummingbirds to their yard or flowerbed can be treated by the visit of up to eleven different species. These are the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Rufous Hummingbird, the Black-chinned Hummingbird, the Allen’s Hummingbird, the Buff-bellied Hummingbird, the Calliope Hummingbird, the Broad-tailed Hummingbird, the Anna’s Hummingbird, the Magnificent Hummingbird, the Blue-throated Hummingbird and the Green Violet-ear Hummingbird.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has an “emerald green back”. The male of this Hummingbird is identified by a “ruby red throat and a forked tail.” The female of this species has a white breast and a rounded tail with white tips. The female is slightly larger than the male and bill is a little longer.
The Rufous Hummingbird can be identified by the “non-iridescent rufous color on the crown, tail and sides” of the male. The male will also have a “bright orange-red throat and a white breast.” The female will be identifiable by its green back and crown along with a white breast and a streaked throat. The female also has tail feathers that are rufous “on the sides and base and the tips are white.” The female Rufous Hummingbird is slightly larger than the male.
The Black-chinned Hummingbird is identifiable by the unmistakable black throat of the male of the species. The male Black-chinned Hummingbird also has a “purple throat band with a white collar and a green breast.” Unlike most species of Hummingbirds, the female is the more colorful of the sexes. It has a “white breast, white throat with black spots.” The feathers located down the sides of the female are buff with white tips. The backs and crowns of both sexes are green.
The Allen’s Hummingbirds have “rufous colored feathers on their backs and sides.” This color on the backs and sides is where the similarities end between the two sexes. The male has “an iridescent coppery-red throat” with a metallic-bronze-green head and back. The females of this species have a white throat with red spots on it, a white breast, their tail feathers are rounded and the outer tips are white. The females are a little larger than the males.
The Buff-bellied Hummingbirds have “metallic backs, crowns and throats with buff or rusty colored sides, belly and tail feathers.” Buff-bellied Hummingbirds also have white-eye rings. The males of this species are larger than the females.
The Calliope Hummingbird is best known for the “whiskered effect” created by purple rays on its otherwise white throat of the male. The back and crown of the male are metallic green and it will weigh about 2.5g. The female of this species, which is a little larger than the male, has a “green back and crown, white throat with dark streaks, buff sides and white-tipped tail corners.”
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is another species of hummingbirds where the male and female do not resemble each other. The male of this species have backs and crowns that are metallic green while the back and crown of a female is also green, but not as brilliant in color as the male. The male also has a white breast and a throat that is rose colored, while the throat of the female is white with black spots. The tail feathers are rounded.
One of the largest species of hummingbirds to be seen in Alabama is the Anna’s Hummingbird. The male of this species averages about 4.31g and has a breast that is grey, a throat and crown that is dark red and a metallic green back. The female of this species has a breast that is also grey, but somewhat lighter than the male’s, a back that is green, a throat that is white with red spots and their tail feathers have white tips. Not only is the size of this hummingbird make it unusual, but it also has a song and is among three species of hummingbirds that live permanently in the United States.
The Magnificent Hummingbird another large species, with the males weighing about 7.7g and females weighing 6.4g. The male of the species is the more colorful of the species with a forehead and crown that is purple, a back that is dark green, a throat that is metallic green and a breast that is black. In vast contrast, the female has a back and crown that is olive green, a breast that is grey and a throat that is grey with light streaking. The female also has light “grey tips on its outer tail feathers.”
The Blue-throated Hummingbird is another one of the large species of hummingbirds with the male of the species weighing 8.4g and the female weighing 6.8g. Both sexes of the Blue-throated Hummingbird have breasts that are dark gray, backs and crowns that are green and they have white tips on their tail feathers. They also have white stripes above and below their eyes. The male also has a bright blue throat and dark blue tail feathers.
The Green-violet Eared Hummingbird is distinguishable by the violet patch of feathers that create a triangle that runs from under the eye and down the neck on the male. The male also has a “bright, pale color that glitters” and its throat and breast are fringed with blue, while its tail has a “black band located toward the end and has yellow/green tips” as well as black feet and a black bill. The female is very similar in color to the male, except that its colors are more dull, the glittering green in only on the throat and may have a little bronzing.
Hummingbirds in Alabama are a welcome part of spring, just like in most parts of the United States. Having the ability to distinguish between the species of hummingbirds that are enjoying the feeders or the gardens in the area can be almost as enjoyable as actually watching these beautiful little birds as they go about their daily chores. Hopefully reading more about the species that frequently visit gardens and feeders in Alabama will help those who are curious about these small, beautiful birds.
