Massachusetts Hummingbirds: 6 Awesome Documented Species

This article identifies all hummingbirds documented as seen in Massachusetts and where they are seen in the state.
It further identifies if that specific hummingbird species is a year-round resident, a seasonal visitor, or a rare vagrant hummingbird seen in Massachusetts.

Which Species Of Massachusetts Hummingbirds Are Found In The State?

Ruby-throated, Rufous, Allen’s, Broad-billed, Calliope and Black-chinned hummingbirds are the 6 species of hummingbirds documented as seen in Massachusetts, listed in order of frequency seen.

Sighting Maps:

These 6 species of hummingbirds are documented as being seen in Massachusetts by sighting maps, listed in the order of frequently seen:
(click links to see sighting map)

These 6 hummingbird species are found in Massachusetts are further classified into three groups:
Year-round residents, Seasonal visitors, and Rare/Vagrant visitors.

Hummingbird:Year-Round, Seasonal, Rare/Vagrant
Ruby-throatedSeasonal
RufousRare/Vagrant
Allen’sRare/Vagrant
Broad-billedRare/Vagrant
CalliopeRare/Vagrant
Black-chinnedRare/Vagrant

For more information on Massachusetts hummingbirds:
Read my article:
Massachusetts Hummingbird Migration

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

There are no hummingbirds classified as year-round residents in Massachusetts.

This hummingbird classification is defined as year-round residents residing in Massachusetts 365 days a year.

Some hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts during the winter, although rare, are hummingbirds that are too old or injured to 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

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only Massachusetts hummingbird classified as a seasonal hummingbird.

Hummingbirds that fit within this category are those that migrate through Massachusetts on a spring or fall migration basis.

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

Some Rufous hummingbirds are occasionally seen in Massachusetts during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.

The general public is unaware of how cold-tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
According to eBird.org, through branding practices in Wisconsin, the Rufous and Ruby-throated hummingbirds are documented to survive in temperatures of -9F and wind chills of -36F.

Due to their preference, an ailment, or advanced age, certain seasonal hummingbirds may spend the whole winter in the state.

Read on to find out more about this hummingbird as well as where and when they can be found in Massachusetts.

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 in Massachusetts.

According to the Mass Audubon, the Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that nests in the eastern United States and making it the smallest breeding bird in Massachusetts.

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

For more pictures and information on Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Photo by: Rekha Pawar

The five Massachusetts hummingbirds classified as rare or vagrant hummingbirds listed in order of frequently seen are:
Rufous, Allen’s, Broad-billed, Calliope and Black-chinned hummingbirds.

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 Massachusetts.

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 visitor to Massachusetts since they are seen mainly in the Western United States.

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

Some Rufous hummingbirds are occasionally seen in Massachusetts during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.

The general public is unaware of how cold-tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
According to eBird.org, through branding practices in Wisconsin, the Rufous and Ruby-throated hummingbirds are documented to survive in temperatures of -9F and wind chills of -36F.

See the current sighting map of Rufous hummingbirds in Massachusetts.

For more pictures and information on Rufous hummingbirds.

Adult Rufous Hummingbird
Photo by: Jace Walker

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, therefore they are rare migratory visitors to Massachusetts.

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

For more pictures and information on Allen’s hummingbirds.

Male Allen’s Hummingbird
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick

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 are rare/accidental vagrants to Massachusetts.

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

For more pictures and information on Broad-billed hummingbirds.

Male Broad-Billed Hummingbird
Photo by: Anthony Lujan

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, therefore making them rare/vagrants in Massachusetts.

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

For more pictures and information on Calliope hummingbirds.

Male Calliope Hummingbird
Photo by: sony_alpha_male

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, therefore they are rare vagrants to Massachusetts.

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

For more pictures and information on Black-chinned hummingbirds.

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

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the most frequently seen in Massachusetts followed by a very distant second-place Rufous hummingbird.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 99% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Ruby-throated hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, 9,932 will be a Ruby-throated hummingbird.

Rufous Hummingbird: 0.53% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Rufous hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, only 52 will be a Rufous hummingbird.

Allen’s Hummingbird: 0.05% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Allen’s hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, only 5 will be an Allen’s hummingbird.

Broad-billed Hummingbird: 0.04% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Broad-billed hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, only 4 will be a Broad-billed hummingbird.

Calliope Hummingbird: 0.03% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Calliope hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, only 3 will be a Calliope hummingbird.

Black-chinned Hummingbird: 0.02% of all hummingbirds seen in Massachusetts are Black-chinned hummingbirds.
Out of 10,000 Massachusetts hummingbirds seen, only 2 will be a Black-chinned hummingbird.

Hummingbirds are seen in Massachusetts throughout the state.
Some are seen throughout the entirety of the state while others are only seen in specific limited areas of Massachusetts.

Read my article:
Massachusetts Hummingbird Migration

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

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