Hummingbirds Found in Idaho: (Pictures and Sounds)

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

Which species of Idaho hummingbirds are found in the state?

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

Sighting Maps:

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

These 8 hummingbird species found in Idaho are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal visitors, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Black-chinnedSeasonal
RufousSeasonal
CalliopeSeasonal
Anna’sSeasonal
Broad-tailedSeasonal
Costa’sRare/Vagrant
Ruby-throatedRare/Vagrant
Broad-billedRare/Vagrant

Idaho, known as the Gem State, has 4 hummingbirds that breed and nest in the state.
According to United States Department of Agriculture Idaho (USDA), Black-chinned, Calliope, Rufous, and Broad-tailed hummingbirds breed and nest in Idaho.

According to Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge (Kootenai NWR), in the north eastern quarter of Idaho, near the Montana and Canadian border, documented Black-chinned, Rufous, and Calliope hummingbirds migrate to Kootenai NWR to breed during spring and summer migration.

For more information on Idaho hummingbirds:
Read my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Idaho

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

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

Idaho winters are cold and harsh for most hummingbirds to survive and most migrate south for the winter.
However, the Anna’s hummingbird is the only species documented overwintering in Idaho.

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

This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds in Idaho temporarily as part of their migratory pattern.

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

The 5 classified seasonal hummingbird listed in order of frequency seen in Idaho are:

  • Black-chinned
  • Rufous
  • Calliope
  • Anna’s
  • Broad-tailed

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

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.
They are the number one seasonal hummingbird seen in Idaho.

Sightings map show the Black-chinned hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of Idaho. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Idaho (USDA), Black-chinned hummingbirds are a common summer breeding resident to Idaho.

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned hummingbirds.

Male-Black-Chinned-ID
Male Black-Chinned Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpha_male

Taken: Boise, Idaho

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

They are the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Idaho.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Idaho (USDA), Rufous hummingbirds are a common summer breeding resident to Idaho.
They breed in the northern 75% of Idaho.
By mid-October, they leave and migrate south to over-winter in Mexico.

Sightings map show the Rufous hummingbirds have documented sightings in every area of Idaho. 

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Male Rufous Hummingbird
Photo by: Kevin Walsh

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.
They are the third most commonly seen seasonal hummingbird in Idaho.

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

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Idaho (USDA), Calliope hummingbirds are a common summer breeding resident to Idaho.

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

All three photos below taken: Boise, Idaho

Male Calliope Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
Female Calliope Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
Juvenile Male Calliope Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpha_male

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 year-round residents to Washington, Oregon and California in the Western United States. They live along the western coastline of North America, starting from southern Canada all the way to northern Baja California.

Anna’s hummingbirds are a seasonal hummingbird that are seen overwintering in Idaho.
They stay from October through March.

Sightings map show Anna’s hummingbirds have documented sightings in Idaho along the north west and south central parts of the state. They are seen from north to south in Coeur d’Alene, Boise, and Twin falls.

According to Boise State University, their IBO research team (Intermountain Bird Observatory) has recently identified a new winter visitor to Idaho, especially in Ada County, the Anna’s hummingbirds.

Through the practice of banding, the IBO have identified an adult male Anna’s hummingbird near New Meadows that stayed all winter in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Jessica Pollock from Boise State University and their IBO research team published a paper documenting the first Anna’s hummingbird nesting in Idaho that occurred in 2020 in Boise. The female successfully fledged two young. Analysis of the fledglings confirmed they were not hybrids but pure Anna’s hummingbirds. This marks a key milestone in the species’ range expansion.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s hummingbirds.

Adult Male Anna’s Hummingbird
Photo by: Kevin Walsh

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, though usually residing in Mexico and as far south as Guatemala during the winter, is a common seasonal Idaho summer hummingbird.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Idaho (USDA), Broad-tailed hummingbirds are a common summer breeding resident to Idaho.

Sightings map show Broad-tailed hummingbirds have documented Idaho sightings in central and south central areas of Idaho.

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed hummingbirds.

Male Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Photo by: bird.whisperer
Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpa_male

Taken: Boise, Idaho

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.

The 3 classified Rare/Vagrant hummingbirds listed in order of frequency seen in Idaho are:

  • Costa’s
  • Ruby-throated
  • Broad-billed

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

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, though usually residing in the Western United States, Mexico and as far south as Guatemala during the winter, is an extremely rare accidental vagrant hummingbird to Idaho.

Sightings map show Costa’s hummingbirds have rare documented Idaho sightings in the areas between Nampa and Boise.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s hummingbirds.

Male Costa’s Hummingbird
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysuprise

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 is an extremely rare accidental vagrant hummingbird to Idaho.

Sightings map show the Ruby-throated hummingbirds have extremely rare documented Idaho sightings in the areas of Mountain Home, south of Boise and Sweet, north of Boise.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Photo by: dgen.photos

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 do travel frequently to the United States near the southern Mexican border, however, most of their population stays year-round in Mexico and Central America.

They are an extremely rare accidental vagrant hummingbird to Idaho.

Sightings map shows the Broad-billed hummingbirds have documented Idaho sightings in Nampa south of Boise.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

Male Broad-billed Hummingbird
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysuprise

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

See my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Idaho

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!

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