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:
- Black-chinned – (Archilochus alexandri)
- Rufous – (Selasphorus rufus)
- Calliope – (Selasphorus calliope)
- Anna’s – (Calypte anna)
- Broad-tailed – (Selsaphoris platycercus)
- Costa’s – (Calypte costae)
- Ruby-throated – (Archilochus colubris)
- Broad-billed – (Cynanthus latirostris)
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-chinned | Seasonal |
| Rufous | Seasonal |
| Calliope | Seasonal |
| Anna’s | Seasonal |
| Broad-tailed | Seasonal |
| Costa’s | Rare/Vagrant |
| Ruby-throated | Rare/Vagrant |
| Broad-billed | Rare/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.
Year-Round Idaho Hummingbirds:
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
Seasonal Idaho Hummingbirds:
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.
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.
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
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
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.
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.
Photo by: bird.whisperer
Photo by: sony_alpa_male
Taken: Boise, Idaho
Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In 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.
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.
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.
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!
