California Hummingbirds – 14 Awesome Aviators

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

Which species of California hummingbirds are found in the state?

Anna’s, Allen’s, Costa’s, Black-chinned, Rufous, Calliope, Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Ruby-throated, Violet-crowned, Rivoli’s, Xantus’s, Blue-throated Mountain-gem, and Mexican-violetear hummingbirds are the 14 species of hummingbirds documented as seen in California listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

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

• Anna’s – (Calypte anna)
• Allen’s – (Selasphorus sasin)
• Costa’s – (Calypte costae)
• Black-chinned – (Archilochus alexandri)
• Rufous – (Selasphorus rufus)
• Calliope – (Selasphorus calliope)
• Broad-billed – (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Broad-tailed – (Selsaphoris platycercus)
• Ruby-throated – (Archilochus colubris)
• Violet-crowned – (Ramosomyia violiceps)
• Rivoli’s – (Eugenes fulgens)
• Xantus’s – (Basilinna xantusii)
• Blue-throated Mt-gem –
  (Lampornis clemenciae)
• Mexican Violetear – (Colibri thalassinus)

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

Hummingbirds:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Anna’s	Year-round
Allen’s	Year-round
Costa’s	Year-round
Black-chinned	Seasonal
Rufous	Seasonal
Calliope	Seasonal
Broad-billed	Seasonal
Broad-tailed	Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Rare/Vagrant
Violet-crowned	Rare/Vagrant
Rivoli’s	Rare/Vagrant
Xantus’s	Rare/Vagrant
Blue-throated MT-gem	Rare/Vagrant
Mexican Violetear	Rare/Vagrant

While it is easy to assume all hummingbirds are the same when we rarely see them as more than a jewel-toned flashing blur as they jet around our hanging flowers and porches; they reside in different geographic ranges, temperaments, varied nesting habits, and diverse coloring.

For more information on California hummingbirds:
Read my article:
California 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 California.

Year-Round California Hummingbirds:

The 3 year-round hummingbirds in California, listed in order of frequency seen are:

• Anna’s
• Allen’s
• Costa’s

This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds residing in California 365 days a year and do not migrate.

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

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 Pacific West Coast of North America and are the number one year-round hummingbird resident to California.

Anna’s hummingbirds over-winter and breed in California, reported by ebird.org

Sightings map show Anna’s hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of California.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s hummingbirds.

Photo Taken:
Stanford Dish Trail, California

Photo Taken:
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation
Los Angeles, California

Photo Taken:
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
Palo Alto, California

Notice this juvenile male Anna’s hummingbirds white fluffy undertail coverts that are visible as it molts into its first full set of feathers.

Photo Taken:
Bolsa Chica Wetlands Wildlife
Huntington Beach, California

Photo Taken:
Shoreline Park & Lake
Mountain View, California

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 and southern California according to Cornell Lab.
They are the second most commonly seen year-round hummingbird in Southern California after the Anna’s hummingbird. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture California (USDA), the Allen’s hummingbirds are primarily found in Southern California year-round.
They also overwinter in Southern California.

Allen’s hummingbirds over-winter and breed in California, reported by ebird.org

Current sighting map document the Allen’s hummingbird to have documented sightings all throughout California.

For more pictures and information on Allen’s hummingbirds.

Photo Taken:
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation
Los Angeles, California

Photo Taken:
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation
Los Angeles, California

Photo Taken:
Los Angeles, California

Photo Taken:
Ventura, California

Photo Taken:
Ventura, California

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 the third most commonly seen year-round resident hummingbird in California.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture California (USDA), the Costa’s hummingbird mainly breed in Southern California.
The three major breeding habitat types for Costa’s hummingbirds include: Sonoran Desert scrub, Mohave Desert scrub, and California coast.

Costa’s hummingbirds over-winter and breed in California, reported by ebird.org

Current sightings map show Costa’s hummingbirds have documented California sightings in every area of California.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s hummingbirds.

Seasonal California Hummingbirds:

The 4 classified seasonal hummingbirds in California, listed in order of frequency seen are:

• Black-chinned
• Rufous
• Calliope
• Broad-billed

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

Some spend the entire spring, summer, and fall in California while others migrate and may travel to more northern states during the summer.
Some seasonal hummingbirds will remain in California for the entire winter by choice, injury, or old age.

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

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 lives across the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada.
They are a seasonal migratory hummingbird that breeds in California and travels south to Mexico for the winter.

According to Cornell Lab, Black-chinned hummingbirds breed inland and along the coast in southern California and winter in western Mexico.

Breeding map for Black-chinned hummingbirds that breed and nest in California, reported by ebird.org

Current sightings map show the Black-chinned hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of California. 

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

Breeding map for Rufous hummingbirds that breed and nest in California, reported by ebird.org

Current sightings map show the Rufous hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of California. 

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Photo Taken:
Wolf, Nevada County, California

Photo Taken:
Wolf, Nevada County, California

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 are a common summer seasonal hummingbird to California.

The breeding range of Calliope hummingbirds include the mountainous regions of Western North America, primarily in the Rocky Mountains, the Cascades, and the Sierra Nevada.

Breeding map for Calliope hummingbirds that breed and nest in California, reported by ebird.org

Sightings map show the Calliope hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of California. 

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

Photo Taken:
Wolf, Nevada County, California

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 and are a seasonal migrant to California.

Sightings map shows the Broad-billed hummingbirds have documented California sightings all along the Pacific coast and scattered areas throughout the rest of the state from all the way north in Crescent City near the Oregon border, Redding in Shasta, Sacramento, Fresno, and all the way south to San Diego.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In California:

The 7 classified rare/vagrant hummingbirds in California, listed in order of frequency seen are:

• Broad-tailed
• Ruby-throated
• Violet-crowned
• Rivoli’s
• Xantus’s
• Blue-throated Mountain-gem
• Mexican Violetear

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 as well as where and when they can be found in California.

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 rare/vagrant hummingbirds to California, even though they travel frequently to the United States near the southern Mexican border.

Broad-tailed hummingbirds travel north to breed and are seen in California.
According to Cornell Lab and ebird.org breeding map, although rare, Broad-tailed hummingbirds breed along the California and Nevada border.

Sightings map show Broad-tailed hummingbirds have documented California sightings in the areas of Redding, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego with clusters of eastern inland sightings near Death Valley all the way up the Nevada border.

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed hummingbirds.

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 extremely rare accidental vagrants to California.

Sightings map show the Ruby-throated hummingbirds have rare scattered documented California sightings in Eureka, Tahoe, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel Valley, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, Death Valley, Joshua Tree National Park, and San Clemente Island.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD – (Amazilia voliceps)

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

The Violet-crowned hummingbird lives primarily in Mexico and parts of Central America, extending into parts of Guatemala and Honduras.
Some populations also extend into the southern United States of Arizona, New Mexico, and California.

There are rare localized sightings of the Violet-crowned hummingbird in southeastern California, near the Arizona border, making them extremely rare accidental vagrants to California.

Sightings map show Violet-crowned hummingbirds have rare documented California sightings in northern Trinidad, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

For more pictures and information on Violet-crowned 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.

There are rare localized sightings of the Rivoli’s hummingbird in northern California in Eureka and southern California in San Diego, making them extremely rare accidental vagrants to California.

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

For more pictures and information on Rivoli’s hummingbirds.

XANTUS’S HUMMINGBIRD – (Basilinna xantusii)

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

​The Xantus’s hummingbird is primarily found in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico, ranging from central Baja California to its southern tip.

They are extremely rare accidental vagrants to California making them a special treat for birdwatchers in Southern California and the Pacific coastline who are able to catch a glimpse of a Xantus’s hummingbird in their yard.

Sightings map show Xantus’s hummingbirds have rare documented California sightings south of Mammoth Lakes and Ventura County.

According to the Western Field Ornithologists archives (WFO), there was a first recorded sighting of a Xantus’s hummingbird on January 30, 1988 in southern California.
A female Xantus’s hummingbird stayed nearly 2 months and attempted to build two nests, in Ventura, Ventura County, from January 30 – March 27, 1988, however her eggs were infertile.

For more pictures and information on Xantus’s hummingbird

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 with their range extending into parts of Guatemala and Honduras.

Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds are also seen in the Southwestern United States in clusters along the southern border near Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
They are extremely rare accidental vagrants to California.

Sightings map show Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds have rare documented California sightings southeast of Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

For more pictures and information on Blue-throated Mountain-gem 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 accidental vagrants to California.

Sightings map document the Mexican-Violetear hummingbirds to have rare California sightings in the area of San Francisco and Santa Barbara.

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear hummingbirds.

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

Read my article:
California Hummingbird Migration

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!