Black-chinned Hummingbird

About the Black-chinned Hummingbird

The black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) is a hummingbird occupying a broad range of habitats from deserts to mountain forests and urban areas in the western United States, southern British Columbia, and Mexico. It is migratory, wintering as far south as Mexico. In sunlight, an iridescent purple gorget forming a ring below the black chin feathers is a male characteristic. When in flight and hovering, its wings make a low-pitched humming sound.

The hybrid between the black-chinned hummingbird and Anna's hummingbird is called "Trochilus" violajugulum. The black-chinned hummingbird is also known to hybridize with Anna's, Lucifer, broad-tailed, and Costa's hummingbirds.

The black-chinned hummingbird is 8.25 cm (3.25 in) long. Adults are metallic green above and white-gray below with green flanks. Their bill is long, straight and slender. The adult male has a black face and chin, a glossy purple gorget (when accurately exposed to sunlight) and a dark forked tail. The female has a dark rounded tail with white tips and no throat patch. Juvenile plumage is similar to that of adult females, but with buff margins on the dorsal feathers. Juvenile... Wikipedia →