Hummingbirds Found in Michigan: (Pictures and Sounds)

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

Which species of Michigan hummingbirds are found in the state?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Costa’s, Berylline, Mexican Violetear, Broad-billed, and White-eared hummingbirds are the 9 species documented as seen in Michigan listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 9 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Michigan by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris)
• Rufous (Selasphorus rufus)
• Anna’s (Calypte anna)
• Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri)
• Costa’s (Calypte costae)
• Berylline (Amazilia beryllina)
• Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)
• Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris)
• White-eared (Basilinna leucotis)

These 9 hummingbird species found in Michigan are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal visitors, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbirds:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throated	Seasonal
Rufous	Rare/Vagrant
Anna’s	Rare/Vagrant
Black-chinned	Rare/Vagrant
Costa’s	Rare/Vagrant
Berylline	Rare/Vagrant
Mexican Violetear	Rare/Vagrant
Broad-billed	Rare/Vagrant
White-eared	Rare/Vagrant

Michigan is a midwestern state, known as the Great Lake State, has only one hummingbird species that breeds in Michigan, the Ruby-throated hummingbird.

Michigan has the five largest lakes in the United States with warm humid summers contrasted with cold winters.
The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the most commonly seen hummingbird in Michigan with the Rufous being a distant second.

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

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

Year-Round Michigan Hummingbirds:

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

Michigan winters are too cold and harsh for hummingbirds to survive year-round, therefore they migrate south for the winter.
However, some hummingbirds can choose to overwinter in Michigan, due to injury or old age, even though it is rare.

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 Michigan Hummingbirds:

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only classified seasonal Michigan hummingbird.
Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that temporality pass through Michigan 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 Michigan for the entire winter by choice, injury, or old age, although rare.

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

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 most commonly seen seasonal hummingbird in Michigan.

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only bird that breeds and nests in Michigan.

Sightings map documents the Ruby-throated hummingbird is seen in every area of Michigan.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In Michigan:

Rufous, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Costa’s, Berylline, Mexican Violetear, Broad-billed, and White-eared hummingbirds are the 8 Michigan 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 as well as where and when they can be found in Michigan.

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 a migrating species that breed as far north from southern Alaska all the way to wintering as far south in Mexico.
They are a rare visitor to Michigan since they are seen mainly in the Western United States.

They are the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Michigan, 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 scattered documented sightings in almost every area of Michigan. 

For more pictures and information on Rufous 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 year-round residents to Washington, Oregon and California. They live along the western coastline of North America, starting from southern Canada all the way to northern Baja California.
They are a rare accidental visitor to Michigan since they are seen mainly in the Western United States.

Sightings map show Anna’s hummingbirds have documented rare Michigan sightings in the areas of Munising and Grand Marais.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s 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 extremely rare visitors to Michigan.

Sighting map show Black-chinned hummingbirds have documented Michigan sightings in the northern most areas of Copper Harbor and Bete Grise.

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned 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 a rare accidental migrant hummingbird to Michigan.

Sightings map show Costa’s hummingbirds have rare documented Michigan sightings south of Traverse City, near Manistee.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s hummingbirds.

Hear the sounds of the Costa’s hummingbird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology link).

BERYLLINE HUMMINGBIRD – (Amazilia beryllina)

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

The Berylline hummingbird (pronounced: berra-line) is a striking species of hummingbird found primarily in Mexico and as far south as Honduras.
They are occasionally seen in the southwestern United States in Arizona and New Mexico.
They are rare/vagrants to Michigan.

Sightings map show Berylline hummingbirds have rare documented Michigan sightings in the area of Grand Marais, north of Lake Michigan.

For more pictures and information on Berylline 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 Michigan. 

Sightings map document the Mexican-Violetear hummingbirds to have rare Michigan sightings in the northern area of Bergland, Marquette, and southern area of Cassopolis.

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear 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 travel frequently to the United States close to the southern Mexican border, however due to Michigan’s location in the eastern United States, Broad-billed hummingbirds are extremely rare.

Sightings map shows the Broad-billed hummingbirds have rare documented northern Michigan sightings in the areas of Cooper Harbor and Chatham.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD – (Basilinna leucotis)

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

The White-eared hummingbird resides from Nicaragua in Central America all the way up to northern Mexico.
They occasionally breed in the southwestern United States in New Mexico and Texas, making them extremely rare/vagrants to Michigan. 

Sightings map show the White-eared hummingbirds have extremely rare documented sightings in Ann Arbor, west of Detroit Michigan. 

For more pictures and information on White-eared hummingbirds.

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

Read my article: 
Hummingbird Migration in Michigan

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!