Buff-Bellied Hummingbird

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 observed along the coast of the Gulf of America in the southern United States and seen year-round in scattered areas of southern Texas near Corpus Christi and Reynosa.

This bird species got its common name from its distinctive buff-colored belly.
The word “buff” in this context refers to a light yellowish-brown color, which is a notable feature of this bird’s plumage.

The combination of its unique buff-colored belly and its hummingbird characteristics led to the straightforward naming of this species as the Buff-bellied hummingbird.

Male
Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds:

Male Buff-bellied hummingbirds have a turquoise-colored, blue-grey gorget.
Their distinctive features include a rusty brownish gold forked tail and a shiny, iridescent bronze olive green back. 

Under certain lights, their dark brown wings might seem black. They have a chestnut-colored underside and a reddish-orange bill with a black tip.

They have a medium build, measuring between 3.9 and 4.3 inches in length and weighing between 4-5 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
Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds:

Compared to their male counterparts, female buff-bellied hummingbirds tend to be less colorful and dull-looking, typically lacking iridescent feathers.

Instead, her throat appears more plain or faintly spotted.
This difference helps her blend into her surroundings, especially during nesting.

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

Juvenile
Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds:

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

Their throats are pale with faint streaks, while their chest and back show dull green transitioning to a buff belly.
Their rufous tails are less vibrant, and their reddish-orange bills may appear less distinct. 

Juveniles lack the iridescent gorget of adult males. As they mature, they molt into adult plumage, with males gaining vivid colors and a shimmering gorget.

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
Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds:

Baby buff-bellied hummingbirds hatch blind, featherless, and dependent on their mother. Their pinkish skin is covered in sparse gray down, and their eyes open after a few days.
As they grow, down thickens, followed by pin feathers that develop into juvenile plumage. 

Their short, dark bills gradually turn reddish-orange. Nestled in a tiny, silk-lined nest, they are fed regurgitated nectar and insects by the mother. After 18–22 days, they gain strength and prepare for their first flight.

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

Hear the sounds of the Buff-bellied hummingbird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology link).

Buff-bellied hummingbirds inhabit a range of environments including open woodlands, edges of forests, gardens and coastal scrub areas.

Some populations of Buff-bellied hummingbirds are partially migratory, moving northward along the Gulf Coast during the breeding season and returning south in the winter.

Male Buff-bellied hummingbirds engage in courtship displays, which include a variety of flashy flights and vocalizations, to entice females during mating season. 

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Buff-bellied hummingbirds prefer to nest in large shrubs or deciduous trees such as Anacahuita, Ebony, Hackberry (the cousin to the American elm), Texas Ebony, and sometimes Willows.
These plants have dense foliage and forgiving tree branches useful for building a nest.

Buff-bellied hummingbirds crossbreed with Berylline and Rufous hummingbirds.

In Texas, a capture and release banding operation resulted in the oldest male Buff-bellied hummingbird ever reported to be 11 years and 2 months old.

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded