Hummingbirds Found in Texas: (Pictures and Sounds)

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

Which species of Texas hummingbirds are found in the state?

Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Buff-bellied, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Lucifer, Calliope, Allen’s, Blue-throated Mt-gem, Broad-billed, Rivoli’s, Mexican Violetear, Green-breasted Mango, Costa’s, White-eared, Violet-crowned, Berylline, and Amethyst-throated Mt-gem hummingbirds are the 19 species documented as seen in Texas, listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 19 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Texas by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:

• Ruby-throated – (Archilochus colubris)
• Black-chinned – (Archilochus alexandri)
• Buff-bellied – (Amazilia yucatanensis)
• Rufous – (Selasphorus rufus)
• Broad-tailed – (Selsaphoris platycercus)
• Anna’s – (Calypte anna)
• Lucifer – (Calothorax lucifer)
• Calliope – (Selasphorus calliope)
• Allen’s – (Selasphorus sasin)
• Blue-throated Mt-gem –
  (Lampornis clemenciae)
• Broad-billed – (Cynanthus latirostris)
• Rivoli’s – (Eugenes fulgens)
• Mexican Violetear – (Colibri thalassinus)
• Green-breasted Mango – (Anthracothorax prevostii)
• Costa’s – (Calypte costae)
• White-eared – (Basilinna leucotis)
• Violet-crowned – (Ramosomyia violiceps)
• Berylline – (Saucerottia beryllina)
• Amethyst-throated Mt-gem – (Lampornis amethystinus)

These 19 hummingbird species found in Texas are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:	Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Buff-bellied	Year-Round (Scattered areas of southern Texas)
Ruby-throated	Seasonal
Black-chinned	Seasonal
Rufous	Seasonal
Broad-tailed	Seasonal
Anna’s	Seasonal
Lucifer	Seasonal
Calliope	Seasonal
Allen’s	Seasonal
Blue-throated Mt-gem	Seasonal
Broad-billed	Seasonal
Rivoli’s	Seasonal
Mexican Violetear	Rare/Vagrant
Green-breasted Mango	Rare/Vagrant
Costa’s	Rare/Vagrant
White-eared	Rare/Vagrant
Violet-crowned	Rare/Vagrant
Berylline	Rare/Vagrant
Amethyst-throated Mt-gem	Rare/Vagrant

Texas, known as the Lone Star State, has an occasional year-round resident, the Buff-bellied hummingbird that is seen in scattered areas of southern Texas near Corpus Christi and Reynosa.

The people of Texas love hummingbirds and take great pride in hosting the annual Hummingbird Festival (HummerBird Celebration) in Rockport-Fulton, Texas.
Every year during the month of September the community comes together to commemorate and observe the spectacular occurrence of the Ruby-throated hummingbird’s fall migration as they make their way south to winter in Mexico.

Read my article:
Hummingbird Migration in Texas

Year-Round Texas Hummingbirds:

The Buff-bellied hummingbird is the only classified year-round resident in Texas, even though they are seen in scattered areas of southern Texas near Corpus Christi and Reynosa.

This hummingbird classification is defined as hummingbirds that are year-round residents residing in Texas 365 days a year and do not migrate.

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

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

BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD – (Amazilia yucatanensis)

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

Buff-bellied hummingbirds are primarily found in Mexico and Central America.
They are observed along the coast of the Gulf of America in the southern United States and seen year-round in scattered areas of southern Texas near Corpus Christi and Reynosa.

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Buff-bellied hummingbirds are the only species in the United States that occasionally breed in Texas and prefer to nest in trees such as Anachuita, Ebony, Hackberry, and sometimes Willows.

See the current sighting map of Buff-bellied hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Buff-bellied hummingbirds.

Seasonal Texas Hummingbirds:

The Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Lucifer, Calliope, Allen’s, Blue-throated Mt-gem, Broad-billed, and Rivoli’s hummingbirds are the 11 classified seasonal Texas hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that temporality pass through Texas 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, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Allen’s, Broad-billed, and Rivoli’s will overwinter or remain in Texas 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 Texas.

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 Texas.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds occasionally over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most travel south for the winter.

Breeding map for Ruby-throated hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Ruby-throated hummingbirds breed from early April to early September in Texas.

See the current sighting map of Ruby-throated hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated 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

Black-chinned hummingbirds are a migrating species and are seen mainly in the Western United States.
They are the second most commonly seen hummingbird in Texas, behind the Ruby-throated, especially during the hot summer months.

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

Black-chinned hummingbirds occasionally over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most travel south for the winter.

See the current sighting map of the Black-chinned hummingbird in Texas.

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 and are a seasonal hummingbird to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Rufous hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Rufous 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 travels frequently to the United States near the southern Mexican border.
They usually reside in Mexico and as far south as Guatemala during the winter, however, travel north to breed and are seen in Texas.

Breeding map for Broad-tailed hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

Broad-tailed hummingbirds occasionally over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most travel south for the winter.

See the current sighting map of Broad-tailed hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Broad-tailed 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 in the Western United States, therefore making them seasonal visitors to Texas.
They live along the western coastline of North America, starting from southern Canada all the way to northern Baja California.

Anna’s hummingbirds occasionally over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most over-winter in upper Mexico and California.

See the current sighting map of Anna’s hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Anna’s hummingbirds.

LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD – (Calothorax lucifer)

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Calothorax
Species: C. lucifer

Lucifer hummingbirds are primarily found in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America. 

They are occasionally seen in southwestern Texas, southern New Mexico, and southeastern Arizona during the summer months to breed.

Breeding map for Lucifer hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

See the current sighting map of Lucifer hummingbirds in Texas.

They are found in Big Bend National Park and also in the Davis Mountains in western Texas.
Big Bend National Park is nestled in the south western area of Texas, very close to the Mexican border.
To provide visual context, the distance between Big Bend National Park to the Davis Mountains is 127.2 miles or 2 hrs and 21 min driving.

For more pictures and information on Lucifer 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, making them seasonal birds to Texas.
Most travel all the way south to winter in Mexico.

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.

See the current sighting map of the Calliope hummingbird in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

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, therefore, they are a seasonal migratory visitor to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Allen’s hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Allen’s hummingbirds.

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. Their range extends 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, particularly in mountainous areas with pine-oak forests or riparian woodlands.
They are a migratory species to Texas.

Breeding map for Blue-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Blue-throated Mountain-gem breed from mid-April through September in Texas.

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 hummingbird to Texas.

Breeding map for Broad-billed hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

Broad-billed hummingbirds very rarely over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most over-winter in Mexico.

See the current sighting map of Broad-billed hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed 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 through Mexico and all the way down to Nicaragua in Central America.
They are a seasonal hummingbird to Texas.

Breeding map for Rivoli’s hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

Rivoli’s hummingbirds very rarely over-winter in Texas, reported by ebird.org
However, most over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, and all the way south to Nicaragua.

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

For more pictures and information on Rivoli’s hummingbirds.

Rare/Vagrant Hummingbirds In Texas:

Mexican Violetear, Green-breasted Mango, Costa’s, White-eared, Violet-crowned, Berylline, and Amethyst-throated Mt-gem hummingbirds are the 7 Texas 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 Texas.

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 a rare visitor to Texas.

Breeding map for Mexican Violetear hummingbirds that breed and nest in Texas, reported by ebird.org

See the current sighting map of Mexican Violetear hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Mexican Violetear hummingbirds.

GREEN-BREASTED MANGO – (Anthracothorax prevostii)

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

The Green-breasted Mango hummingbird is seen on the eastern shores of Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, and central and southern Mexico.
They are rare/vagrant visitors to Texas.

In September of 1988, the first documented Green-breasted Mango hummingbird was recorded on the coast of Texas. They have drifted upward into Texas and have slowly increased their sightings, but they are still considered vagrants.

See the current sighting map of the Green-breasted Mango hummingbird in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Green-breasted Mango 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

Costa’s hummingbirds are predominantly a southwestern bird found in the corners of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico; they are extremely rare to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Costa’s hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Costa’s 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, making them rare vagrants to the state of Texas.

According to ebird.org breeding map, White-eared hummingbirds are occasionally seen breeding in southwestern Texas, even though they are considered rare/vagrants to the state.

See the current sighting map of White-eared hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on White-eared 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

Violet-crowned hummingbirds are predominantly found in Mexico, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, therefore they are extremely rare to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Violet-crowned hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Violet-crowned hummingbirds.

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 extremely rare/vagrants to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Berylline hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Berylline hummingbirds.

AMETHYST-THROATED MOUNTAIN-GEM HUMMINGBIRD – (Lampornis amethystinus) 

Conservation Status: Least concerned
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Lampornis
Species: L. amethystinus

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds aka Amethyst-throated hummingbird, is found in the montane forests of Central America, particularly in Mexico, Guatemala and as far south as El Salvador.

Occasionally, Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds are seen in the southwestern United States along the southern border near Texas, near Fort Davis, however are extremely rare to Texas.

See the current sighting map of Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds in Texas.

For more pictures and information on Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem hummingbirds.

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

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!