Broad-Billed Hummingbird

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.

The Broad-billed hummingbird, scientifically named Cynanthus latirostris, is known for its distinctive broad bill, which is the origin of its common name.
Their broad bills are particularly adapted for feeding on a variety of flowers.

Male
Broad-Billed Hummingbirds:

The brilliant blue-green gorget of male Broad-billed hummingbirds stretches back towards their shoulders. They have a long, brilliant orange-red beak with a distinctive black tip.
Their length varies from 3.25 to 4 inches, and they weigh between 3 and 4 grams.

The metal plate that shields the wearer’s throat during combat to prevent injuries is the inspiration behind the name of the gorget on a male hummingbird.

This name is acceptable and fitting to characterize the physical characteristics of male hummingbirds, since they fight fiercely for their own territory.

Read my article:
Hummingbird Gorgets Explained

Female
Broad-Billed Hummingbirds:

Generally speaking, female Broad-billed hummingbirds lack iridescent feathers and have a duller appearance than males. 

Their bill is entirely black, with a larger white accent over their eyes. They are recognized by their mainly metallic green upperparts and white undersides.
Their tails are forked and have a black tint.

Juvenile
Broad-Billed Hummingbirds:

Male and female juvenile Broad-billed hummingbirds initially resemble adult females until the male starts to develop the iridescent feathers that are characteristic of this species of hummingbird.

Male juveniles display a full charcoal dark gray body, a light green neck and backside with flecks of metallic blue on their throat.

As juveniles molt into their first full set of feathers, the fluffy white undertail coverts become visible. These feathers are a distinguishing feature and are often more prominent due to their soft texture.

Baby
Broad-Billed Hummingbirds:

At birth, baby Broad-billed hummingbirds are small, featherless, defenseless, and have closed eyelids. They develop gray down in a matter of days due to their rapid growth. 

By two to three weeks, their plumage begins to show and pin feathers appear.
At around three weeks old, they leave the nest, fed by their mother’s regurgitated nectar and insects.

See my article:
Baby Hummingbirds: (Egg to Fledgling)

Hear the sounds of the Broad-billed hummingbird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology link).

Broad-billed hummingbirds prefer habitats such as canyons, riverine woodlands, and sometimes gardens or urban areas with suitable flowering plants.

Nests made by Broad-billed hummingbirds are constructed from a single, long, thin branch and identified by their lack of lichen decoration on the exterior.
Instead, they use grass fibers, leaf fragments, and bark for construction, securing the structure with spider webs to ensure stability and durability.

Read my article:
Hummingbird Parents: (Mating to Nesting)

Particularly while defending “their” feeders, Broad-billed hummingbirds come across as the meanest sheriff in the community due to their intense territoriality.

They will engage in territorial conflicts to defend nectar sources that are home to blooming plants that attract hummingbirds.

See my article:
Why Hummingbirds Chase Each Other: Is it Friend or Foe?

Surprisingly, the Broad-billed hummingbird’s population has grown in recent years, in contrast to other hummingbird species. Its future relies on habitat conservation and understanding environmental impacts.

When the oldest male Broad-billed hummingbird was caught and released in Arizona during a banding operation, he was 9 years and 1 month old.

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded