Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus paltycercus

Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus paltycercus, Female. Photograph taken within a residential community in Hereford, Arizona, April 2010. Photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Behrstock, Sierra Vista, Arizona (naturewideimages.com).

Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus paltycercus. Photograph taken in Copala, Sinaloa, March 2017. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F Smith, Alamos, Sonora.

Background and Identification

The Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selaphorus paltycercus, is a member of the Trochilidae family of hummingbirds, a large family that includes three hundred sixty-six species and one hundred twelve genera. This hummingbird is medium-sized and is known for its wide tail and iridescent plumage. In Mexico, this species is known as Colibrí Coliancho.

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, like most hummingbirds, are a sexually dimorphic species. Adult males have a striking rosy-red throat, known as a gorget, which shines brilliantly in the sunlight. They also exhibit a metallic green back and crown, with a white chest and belly. Females and juveniles are less colorful and slightly smaller, with a greenish back, white underparts, and a smattering of faint spots on the throat. Both sexes have a broad, rounded tail with rufous (rusty) edges that give the species its name. These hummingbirds measure approximately 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length.

Habitat and Geographical Range

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are typically found in high-altitude habitats, preferring montane meadows, open woodlands, and forest edges. During the breeding season, they favor areas with abundant flowering plants, providing nectar, their primary food source. They are also known to frequent gardens and feeders in suitable habitats.

Geographically, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds breed in the western United States, from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Utah, extending into northern Mexico. During the winter, they migrate to lower elevations in Mexico and Central America. Their range covers various altitudes, typically from 5,000 (1,500 m) to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters).

Common Misidentifications

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds can be confused with other hummingbird species, particularly those within their range. One common look-alike is the Rufous Hummingbird, Selaphorus rufus, which also has rufous-colored flanks and a reddish tail. However, Rufous Hummingbirds have a more extensive rufous coloration, often covering the back and crown, and their gorget is typically orange-red.

Conservation Status

From a conservation perspective the Broad-tailed Hummingbird is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. Conservation efforts for Broad-tailed Hummingbirds focus on preserving and restoring their natural habitats and preserving meadows and wooded areas that contain the flowering plants that they rely on for nectar.