Arkansas Hummingbirds: 11 Awesome Documented Species

This article identifies all hummingbirds documented as seen in Arkansas and where they are seen in the state.

It further identifies if that specific hummingbird species is a year-round resident, a seasonal visitor, or a rare vagrant hummingbird seen in Arkansas.

Which Species Of Arkansas Hummingbirds Are Found In The State?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Black-chinned, Calliope, Broad-tailed, Buff-bellied, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Mexican Violetear, Allen’s, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are the 11 species of hummingbirds documented as seen in Arkansas listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 11 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Arkansas by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris)
• Rufous (Selasphorus rufus)
• Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri)
• Calliope (Selasphorus calliope)
• Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Buff-bellied (Amazilia yucatanensis)
• Anna’s (Calypte anna)
• Broad-tailed (Selasphorus platycercus)
• Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)
• Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin)
• Rivoli’s (Eugenes fulgens)

These 11 hummingbirds species found in Arkansas are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Seasonal resident
Rufous	Seasonal resident
Black-chinned	Rare/vagrant resident
Calliope	Rare/vagrant resident
Broad-billed	Rare/vagrant resident
Buff-bellied	Rare/vagrant resident
Anna’s	Rare/vagrant resident
Broad-tailed	Rare/vagrant resident
Mexican Violetear	Rare/vagrant resident
Allen’s	Rare/vagrant resident
Rivoli’s	Rare/vagrant resident

For more information on Arkansas hummingbirds
Read my article:
Arkansas Hummingbirds Migration

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

Year-Round Arkansas Hummingbirds

There are no hummingbirds classified as year-round residents in Arkansas.
This hummingbird classification is defined as year-round residents residing in Arkansas 365 days a year.

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

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

Seasonal Arkansas Hummingbirds

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

Most 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 Arkansas.

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 Arkansas.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in Arkansas.

According to Hot Springs Village Audubon, HSV Audubon the most common migrating Arkansas hummingbird seen during the hot summer months will be the Ruby-throated hummingbird.

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

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 the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Arkansas.

While most hummingbirds migrate south for the winter, the Rufous hummingbird is documented as seen in the middle of winter in Arkansas.

See the current sighting map of Rufous hummingbirds in Arkansas.

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Arkansas Hummingbirds

Black-chinned, Calliope, Broad-billed, Buff-bellied, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Mexican Violetear, Allen’s, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are the 9 Arkansas 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 Arkansas.

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 Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned 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.
They breed in the north from southern Alaska and most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico, therefore making them rare/vagrants to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Calliope 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 travel frequently to the United States close to the southern Mexican border.

Due to Arkansas’s location in the eastern United States, Broad-billed hummingbirds are rare/vagrants.

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

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed 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 have also been frequently observed along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the southern United States, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
They are rare/vagrants to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Buff-bellied 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 rare/vagrants to Arkansas since they are seen mainly in the Western United States.

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

For more pictures and information on Anna’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 extremely rare/vagrant hummingbirds to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed 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, making them extremely rare/vagrants to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear 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, therefore they are extremely rare accidental migratory visitors to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Allen’s hummingbirds.

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 accidental migratory visitors to Arkansas.

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

For more pictures and information on Rivoli’s hummingbirds.

Which Arkansas Hummingbirds Are Most Frequently Seen In The State?

The Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds are the two most frequently seen Arkansas hummingbirds.

Arkansas hummingbirds listed in order of frequency seen:

These are Arkansas statistics at the end of 2023 as reported by ebird.org

• Ruby-throated: 87% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Ruby-throated hummingbirds.
  Out of 10,000 hummingbirds seen in Arkansas, 8,784 will be the Ruby-throated hummingbird.
• Rufous: 8.9% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are the Rufous hummingbirds.
  Out of 10,00 hummingbirds seen in Arkansas, 892 will be the Rufous hummingbird.
• Black-chinned: 1% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Black-chinned hummingbirds. Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 103 will be the Black-chinned hummingbird.
• Calliope: 0.77% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Calliope hummingbirds.
  Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 76 will be the Calliope hummingbird.
• Broad-billed: 0.45% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Broad-billed hummingbirds. Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 45 will be the Broad-billed hummingbird.
• Buff-bellied: 0.31% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Buff-bellied hummingbirds. Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 31 will be the Buff-bellied hummingbird.
• Anna’s: 0.29% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Anna’s hummingbirds.
  Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 29 will be the Anna’s hummingbird.
• Broad-tailed: 0.19% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are Broad-tailed hummingbirds. Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 19 will be the Broad-tailed hummingbird.
• Mexican Violetear: 0.17% of all hummingbirds seen in Arkansas are the Mexican Violetear hummingbirds.
  Out of 10,000 seen in Arkansas, only 17 will be the Mexican Violetear hummingbird.
• Allen’s: Out of 40,000 Allen’s hummingbirds seen in Arkansas, only 1 will be an Allen’s hummingbird.
• Rivoli’s: Out of 40,000 Allen’s hummingbirds seen in Arkansas, only 1 will be a Rivoli’s hummingbird.

Where In The State Are Arkansas Hummingbirds Seen?

Hummingbirds are seen in Arkansas throughout the state.
Some are seen throughout the entirety of the state, while others are only seen in specific, limited areas of Arkansas.

To see the current areas where a specific hummingbird is documented as seen in Arkansas, click the link below to see a sighting map from eBird.org.

• Ruby-throated Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Rufous Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Black-chinned Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Calliope Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Broad-billed Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Buff-bellied Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Anna’s Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Broad-tailed Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Mexican Violetear Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Allen’s Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.
• Rivoli’s Hummingbirds currently being seen in Arkansas.

Read my article:
Arkansas Hummingbird Migration

Happy Hummingbird Watching!

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions