Hummingbirds Found in Kansas: (Pictures and Sounds)

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

Which species of Kansas hummingbirds are found in the state?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Anna’s, Broad-billed, Costa’s, Mexican Violetear, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are the 10 species documented as seen in Kansas listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 10 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Kansas by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris)
• Rufous (Selasphorus rufus)
• Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri)
• Broad-tailed (Selasphorus platycercus)
• Calliope (Selasphorus calliope)
• Anna’s (Calypte anna)
• Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Costa’s (Calypte costae)
• Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)
• Rivoli’s (Eugenes fulgens)

These 10 hummingbirds species found in Kansas are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Seasonal
Rufous	Rare/Vagrant
Black-chinned	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-tailed	Rare/Vagrant
Calliope	Rare/Vagrant
Anna’s	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-billed	Rare/Vagrant
Costa’s	Rare/Vagrant
Mexican Violetear	Rare/Vagrant
Rivoli’s	Rare/Vagrant

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

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

Year-Round Kansas Hummingbirds:

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

Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate can choose to overwinter in Kansas.

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 Kansas Hummingbirds:

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only classified seasonal Kansas hummingbird.
Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that temporality pass through Kansas as part of their migratory pattern during spring and fall migration.

Hummingbirds move south to spend the winter in Mexico and Central America in the fall, after migrating north in the spring to reproduce.

Some seasonal hummingbirds will remain in Kansas 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 Kansas.

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 the most commonly seen hummingbird in Kansas.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only bird that breed and nest in Kansas.

Sightings map show the Ruby-throated hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of the entire eastern half of Kansas as well as St. Francis, Goodland, Oakley, WaKeeney, Dighton, Garden City, Lakin, Dodge City, Minneola, Johnson City, Sublette, Hugoton, and Elkhart.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Note: The flower that this female Ruby-throated hummingbird is drinking from is called Goldflame Honeysuckle Vine.

Note: This juvenile Ruby-throated hummingbird has a signature red fleck on his gorget while his head is turned in this lighting showing the beginning stages of his adolescence.

Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In Kansas:

Rufous, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Anna’s, Broad-billed, Costa’s, Mexican Violetear, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are the 9 Kansas hummingbirds classified as rare or vagrant listed in order of frequency seen.

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 in Kansas.

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 rare/vagrant visitor to Kansas and are seen mainly in the Western United States.

They are the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Kansas, behind the Ruby-throated hummingbird, even though there is a vast difference in sighting numbers between the two species.

Sightings map show the Rufous hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of Kansas City, Ottawa, Topeka, Blue Rapids, Junction City, El Dorado, Arkansas City, Wichita, Newton, Salina, Ellsworth, Hutchinson, Great Bend, Wilson, Osborn, Hays, La Crosse, Larned, Dodge City, WaKenney, Oakley, Dighton, Garden City, Leoti, St. Francis, Goodland, and Elkhart.

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

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 rare/vagrant visitors to Kansas.

Sighting map show Black-chinned hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of Kansas City, Salina, just above Great Bend, between Hutchinson & Lyons, Ness City, Scott City, Hugoton, and Dodge City.

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned hummingbirds.

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 an extremely rare hummingbird to Kansas.

Sightings map show Broad-tailed hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of between Lawrence and Ottawa, Newton, the Pretty Prairie/Arlington/Abbyville area, the Pratt/Luka area, Larned, area between Dodge City & Jetmore, Lake City area, Plymell & Garden City area, Syracuse, Hugoton, and Elkhart.

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed hummingbirds.

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.
Most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico making them extremely rare/vagrants to Kansas.

Sightings map shows Calliope hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of between Lawrence and Ottawa, between Independence and Fredonia, Osborn, Wilson, Stockton, Hayes, Larned, Oakley/Grainfield area, Garden City, Dodge City, Sublette, Rolla, and Elkhart.

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

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 west coast of North America and are and extremely rare/vagrant to Kansas.

Sightings map show Anna’s hummingbirds have documented sightings in Kansas along highway 33 between Wichita and El Dorado, along highway 70 just west of Salina in the Russel and Hays areas, and in the areas of Kinsley, Winfield, Dodge City, Garden City, and Kansas City area.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s hummingbirds.

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 extremely rare to Kansas.

Sightings map shows the Broad-billed hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of Kansas City, Manhattan, and Garden City.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

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 Kansas.

Sightings map show Costa’s hummingbirds have documented Kansas sightings in the areas of Manhattan and Garden City.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s 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 an extremely rare/accidental visitor to Kansas.

Sightings map document the Mexican violetear hummingbird to have documented Kansas sightings in the area of Manhattan Kansas.

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear 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.

They are an extremely rare/accidental visitor to Kansas.

Sightings map document the Rivoli’s hummingbird to have a select few documented rare Kansas sightings outside Coffeyville.

For more pictures and information on Rivoli’s hummingbirds.

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

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!