14 Hummingbirds Found in Alabama: (Pictures and Sounds)

This article identifies and describes Alabama hummingbirds, where in Alabama they are seen, and whether they are year-round, seasonal, or rare vagrant residents.

Which species of Alabama hummingbirds are found in the state?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Black-chinned, Buff-bellied, Calliope, Allen’s, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Broad-billed, Costa’s, Rivoli’s, Mexican Violetear, Blue-throated Mt-gem, and White-eared hummingbirds are the 14 species documented as seen in Alabama listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 14 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Alabama by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris)
• Rufous (Selasphorus rufus)
• Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri)
• Buff-bellied (Amazilia yucatanensis)
• Calliope (Selasphorus calliope)
• Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin)
• Broad-tailed (Selasphorus platycercus)
• Anna’s (Calypte anna)
• Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Costa’s (Calypte costae)
• Rivoli’s (Eugenes fulgens)
• Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)
• Blue-throated Mt-gem (Lampornis clemenciae)
• White-eared (Basilinna leucotis)

These 14 hummingbirds species found in Alabama are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Seasonal
Rufous	Seasonal
Black-chinned	Rare/Vagrant
Buff-bellied	Rare/Vagrant
Calliope	Rare/Vagrant
Allen’s	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-tailed	Rare/Vagrant
Anna’s	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-billed	Rare/Vagrant
Costa’s	Rare/Vagrant
Rivoli’s	Rare/Vagrant
Mexican Violetear	Rare/Vagrant
Blue-throated Mt-gem	Rare/Vagrant
White-eared	Rare/Vagrant

For more information on Alabama hummingbirds:
Read my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Alabama

Read on to find out more about each of these hummingbird species as well as where and when they can be found in Alabama.

Year-Round Alabama Hummingbirds:

There are no hummingbirds classified as year-round residents in Alabama.

This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds that are year-round residents residing in Alabama 365 days a year and do not migrate.

Some rare Rufous hummingbirds are seen in Alabama during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.
Other hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate can also overwinter.

Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds can withstand far lower temperatures than most people would expect.

Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded

Seasonal Alabama Hummingbirds:

The Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds are the two classified seasonal Alabama hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that temporality pass through Alabama as part of their migratory pattern during spring and fall migration.

Hummingbirds move south to spend the winter in Mexico and Central America in the fall, after migrating north in the spring to reproduce.

Due to their preference, an ailment, or advanced age, certain seasonal hummingbirds may spend the whole winter in the state.

Read on to find out more about each of these hummingbird species as well as where and when they can be found in Alabama.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD – (Archilochus colubris)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Archilochus
Species: A. colubris

Ruby-throated hummingbirds main residence is mostly in the Midwest and on the east coast of the United States, therefore they are most commonly seen in Alabama.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only bird that breed and nest in Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Ruby-throated hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD – (Selasphorus rufus)

Conservation Status: Near threatened
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selasphorus
Species: S. rufous

Rufous hummingbirds are located in western North America and are a migrating species.
They are a seasonal visitor to Alabama and are seen mainly in the Western United States.

Some Rufous hummingbirds are seen in Alabama during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.

They are the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Alabama, behind the Ruby-throated hummingbird, even though there is a vast difference in sighting numbers between the two species.

See the current sighting map of Rufous hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In Alabama

Black-chinned, Buff-bellied, Calliope, Allen’s, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Broad-billed, Costa’s, Rivoli’s, Mexican Violetear, Blue-throated Mt-gem, and White-eared hummingbirds are the 12 Alabama hummingbirds classified as rare or vagrant listed in order of frequency seen.

This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds residing in a group outside of their normal geographic range.

Not only do these species of hummingbirds have a wide variety of specific geographic ranges, but they are also known to sometimes interbreed with each other creating hybrids.

Read on to find out more about each of these hummingbird species in Alabama.

BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD – (Archilochus alexandri)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Archilochus
Species: A. alexandri

The Black-chinned hummingbird is a migratory bird that breeds as far north as Canada, the western United States, and as south as Mexico, they are rare/vagrant visitors to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of the Black-chinned hummingbird in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned hummingbirds.

BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD – (Amazilia yucatanensis)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Amazilia
Species: A. yucatanensis

Buff-bellied hummingbirds are primarily found in Mexico and Central America.
They are frequently observed along the coast of the Gulf of America in the southern United States, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
They are still considered a rare/vagrant hummingbird to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Buff-bellied hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Buff-bellied hummingbirds.

CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD – (Selasphorus calliope)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selasphorus
Species: S. calliope

Calliope hummingbirds are located in western North America and are a migrating species.
Most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico making them rare/vagrants to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of the Calliope hummingbird in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD – (Selasphorus sasin)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selasphorus
Species: S. sasin

Allen’s hummingbirds commonly reside and nest along the West Coast of the United States and winter in Mexico, making them extremely rare to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Allen’s hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Allen’s hummingbirds.

BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD – (Selsaphoris platycercus)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selsaphoris
Species: S. platycercus

The Broad-tailed hummingbird is primarily found in the mountainous regions of western North America and migrates south to winter in Mexico and Guatemala.
They are an extremely rare/vagrant hummingbird to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Broad-tailed hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed hummingbirds.

ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD – (Calypte anna) 

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Calypte
Species: C. anna

The Anna’s hummingbirds are seen from Alaska and southern Canada to Washington, Oregon, California, Baja, and into the southwestern regions of Arizona and neighboring states.
They are primarily found on the west coast of North America and are extremely rare/vagrants to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Anna’s hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s hummingbirds.

BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD –
(Cynanthus latirostris)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Cynanthus
Species: C. latirostris

Broad-billed hummingbirds are native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and down into Central America.
They do travel frequently to the United States near the southern Mexican border, however, most of their population stays year-round in Mexico and Central America.

They are extremely rare to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Broad-billed hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD – (Calypte costae)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Calypte
Species: C. costae

The Costa’s hummingbird resides in the Western United States, Mexico and as far south as Guatemala during the winter.
They are a rare accidental vagrant hummingbird to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Costa’s hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s hummingbirds. Alabama.

RIVOLI’S HUMMINGBIRD aka MAGNIFICENT – (Eugenes fulgens)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Eugenes
Species: E. fulgens

The Rivoli’s hummingbird (pronounced: rivo-lee), previously known as the Magnificent hummingbird, primarily inhabits mountainous regions of the southwestern United States (southern Arizona and New Mexico) through Mexico and all the way down to Nicaragua in Central America.

They are extremely rare in Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Rivoli’s hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Rivoli’s hummingbirds.

MEXICAN VIOLETEAR
(aka GREEN VIOLETEAR) HUMMINGBIRD – (Colibri thalassinus)  

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Colibri
Species: C. thalassinus

The Mexican Violetear (Violet-ear) or the Green-Violetear hummingbird are usually found in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.
They are extremely rare/accidental visitors to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Mexican Violetear hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear hummingbirds.

BLUE-THROATED MOUNTAIN-GEM HUMMINGBIRD aka BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD – (Lampornis clemenciae)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Lampornis
Species: L. clemenciae

The Blue-throated Mountain-gem aka Blue-throated hummingbird, primarily resides in Mexico and Central America. Their range extends into parts of Guatemala and Honduras. 

They are also seen in the southwestern United States in clusters along the southern border near Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, particularly in mountainous areas with pine-oak forests or riparian woodlands.
They are extremely rare/accidental visitors to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds.

WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD – (Basilinna leucotis)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Basilinna
Species: B. leucotis

The White-eared hummingbird resides from Nicaragua in Central America all the way up to northern Mexico.
They occasionally breed in the southwestern United States in New Mexico and Texas and are extremely rare/accidental visitors to Alabama.

See the current sighting map of White-eared hummingbirds in Alabama.

For more pictures and information on White-eared hummingbirds.

Keep your eyes peeled and observe and enjoy the multiple types of hummingbirds found in Alabama!

Is Alabama Attractive to Hummingbirds?

Alabama attracts hummingbirds because of its humid subtropical climate, its diversity in elevation from sea level to over 2,000 feet above sea level, forests that cover 69% of the state, agriculture land covering 27% of the state, and rainfall annually of more than 56 inches annually.

On average, Alabama night time temperatures are above freezing all 12 months of the year.
December, January, and February nighttime lows, on average, are 37, 35,and 38 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.
The lowest night-time recorded temperature in Alabama was -27 degrees Fahrenheit on January 30, 1966.

See my article:
Should I keep My Hummingbird Feeders Out During the Winter

See my article:
11 DIY Ways To Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing

The hottest months of the year in Alabama are May through September all with daytime high temperatures of 84, 90, 92, 92, and 87 degrees Fahrenheit respectively, however, Alabama’s all time high was set in 1925 at 112 degrees Fahrenheit

See my article:
How to Cool Hummingbird Nectar in Hot Weather

Hummingbirds play an important part of West Alabama agriculture.
Hummingbirds are the second most important pollinator, only exceeded in importance to the honeybee.

This combination of climate and land use makes Alabama a good choice for some hummingbirds, especially the Ruby-throated hummingbird, the species of hummingbirds that dominate the Alabama landscape.

See my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Alabama

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!