8 Hummingbirds Found in Pennsylvania: (Pictures and Sounds)

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

What species of Pennsylvania hummingbirds are found in the state?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Allen’s, Anna’s, Calliope, Black-chinned, Bahama Woodstar, and Broad-billed hummingbirds are the 8 species documented as seen in Pennsylvania listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 8 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Pennsylvania by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris)
• Rufous (Selasphorus rufus)
• Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin)
• Anna’s (Calypte anna)
• Calliope (Selasphorus calliope)
• Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri)
• Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae)
• Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris)

These 8 hummingbird species found
in Pennsylvania are further categorized into 3 groups:
Year-round residents, seasonal, and rare/vagrants.

Hummingbird:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Seasonal
Rufous	Seasonal
Allen’s	Rare/Vagrant
Anna’s	Rare/Vagrant
Calliope	Rare/Vagrant
Black-chinned	Rare/Vagrant
Bahama Woodstar	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-billed	Rare/Vagrant

More information on
Pennsylvania hummingbirds:
Read my article:
Pennsylvania Hummingbird Migration

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

Year-Round/Native Pennsylvania Hummingbirds

There are no hummingbirds classified as year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds that are year-round residents residing in Pennsylvania 365 days a year and do not migrate.

Some Rufous hummingbirds are seen in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Hummingbirds

The Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds are classified seasonal Pennsylvania hummingbird.
Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that migrate through Pennsylvania on a spring or fall migration basis.

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 Pennsylvania.

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 and the most commonly seen hummingbird in Pennsylvania.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only species that breeds and nest in Pennsylvania.

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

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

They breed in the north from southern Alaska and most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico.

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

See the current sighting map of Rufous hummingbirds in Pennsylvania.

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Pennsylvania Hummingbirds

Allen’s, Anna’s, Calliope, Black-chinned, Bahama Woodstar, and Broad-billed hummingbirds are the 6 Pennsylvania hummingbirds classified as rare or vagrant.

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 Pennsylvania.

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, therefore they are rare migratory visitors to Pennsylvania.

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

For more pictures and information on Allen’s 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 primarily found on the west coast of North America and are a rare/vagrant bird to Pennsylvania.

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

For more pictures and information on Anna’s 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 a migrating species and are seen mainly in the Western United States, therefore making them a rare visitor to Pennsylvania.
They breed in the north from southern Alaska and most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico.

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

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

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, therefore they are rare vagrants to Pennsylvania.

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

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned hummingbirds.

BAHAMA WOODSTAR HUMMINGBIRD- (Nesophlox evelynae)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Nesophlox
Species: N. evelynae

The Bahama Woodstar hummingbird is a Caribbean native predominantly found in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In the United States they are seen scarcely in the southern half of Florida making them rare in Pennsylvania.

See the current sighting map of the Bahama Woodstar hummingbird in Pennsylvania.

For more pictures and information on Bahama Woodstar.

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 travel frequently to the United States close to the southern Mexican border, however are extremely rare in Pennsylvania.

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

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

Is Pennsylvania Attractive to Hummingbirds?

Pennsylvania attracts hummingbirds because of its humid continental climate, its diversity in elevation from zero feet above sea level at the Delaware river to 3,213 feet at Mount Davis, forests that cover 5% of the state, agriculture land covering 62% of the state, and rainfall annually of more than 50 inches.

On average, Pennsylvania daytime temperatures are above freezing all 12 months of the year.
Only December, January, and February drop below freezing at night with the night-time average being 30.6, 25.5, and 27.5 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.

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 Pennsylvania are June, July, and August, with daytime high temperatures of 80.6, 85.5, and 84.0 degrees Fahrenheit respectively, however, Pennsylvania’s all-time high was set in 1936 at 111 degrees Fahrenheit, oddly enough, in Phoenixville.

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

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Pennsylvania has 16.8 million acres of Forest representing about 36% of all land mass in Pennsylvania.

Another 28.6 million acres, 62% of all Pennsylvania’s land mass is dedicated to agriculture, according to Penn State.

Hummingbirds play an important part in pollination.
Hummingbirds are the second most important pollinator, only exceeded in importance to the honeybee.

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

See my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Pennsylvania

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!