Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magicusis, Juvenile, Male. Photograph taken within a residential community in Alamos, Sonora, February 2018. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magicusis, Male. Photograph taken within a residential community in Alamos, Sonora, February 2018. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magicusis, Male. Photograph taken within the greater Palm Springs area of southern California, March 2021. Photography courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California.
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magicusis, Male. Photographs taken in the coastal region of Costa Rica, February 2023. Photographs courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California.
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magicusis, Female. Photograph taken within a residential community in Alamos, Sonora, March 2017. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.
Background and Identification
The Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris magocusis, and Cynanthus latirostris propinquus, are two of four subspecies of Broad-billed Hummingbird, and all are found in Mexico. They are a member of the Trochilidae Family of Hummingbirds, which has three hundred fifty-two members placed in one hundred thirteen genera and is one of five global species of the Cynanthus Genus. This species of hummingbird is only able to move via flight, as their legs are unable to support body weight. The Broad-billed Hummingbird is poorly studied and very little about their biology and behavioral patterns has been documented which is attributed to its range being limited to very remote areas. They are known in Mexico as Colibri Piquianchio Común.
The Broad-billed Hummingbird is slender in appearance and small in stature. Average mass of this species is only 3 g (0.11 oz) to 4 g (0.14 oz). They are sexually dimorphic, males are iridescent green and blue with a deep purple gorget, white under tail coverts, a broad, notched glossy blue-black tail, and a bright red bill that allows for a straightforward identification. The females are similarly marked but duller in color and have gray underparts.
Habitat and Geographical Range
Broad-billed Hummingbirds are found predominantly within the riparian zones of arid canyons and at elevations below 3,000 m (9,900 feet). They consume a wide variety of floral nectars from a wide and diverse number of cultivated and wild plants and limited amounts of small insects.
Geographically, the two subspecies of the Broad-billed have slightly different ranges. The magicus subspecies has a limited range and is found in northwest Mexico, primarily in the states of Sinaloa and Sonora but ranges south to Colima and east to Aguascalientes. The propinquus subspecies is found in central Mexico from Guanajuato through Michoacán to northern Guerrero. The bird photographed above represents a possible range extension into the coastal regions of Oaxaca. The northern populations are migratory and travel south for the winter. The Southern populations are non-migratory and are year-round residents. In Mexico, both subspecies are found in the northwest in the states of Sinaloa and Sonora south to Colima and east to Aguascalientes, and in west-central Veracruz and northern Guerrero.
Common Misidentifications
The Broad-billed Hummingbird can be confused with other similar-sized hummingbirds, particularly those within its range. One common look-alike is the Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Amazilia violiceps, which also has a reddish bill but is distinguished by its violet crown and lack of a blue throat. Another is the Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri which has a dark chin and a more slender, straight bill versus the red bill of the Broad-billed. The male Black-chinned also has a distinctive purple throat band that can help set it apart.
Conservation Status
From a conservation perspective the Broad-billed Hummingbird is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable to increasing widely distributed populations. Conservation efforts for the Broad-billed Hummingbirds focus on preserving their natural habitats. This includes protecting riparian areas, promoting the planting of native flowering plants, and maintaining gardens and parks with hummingbird feeders.