Species · GBIF taxon 2476844
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercusAlso known as Broad-tail
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds animate high-altitude mountain meadows with their glittering rose-magenta gorgets and a distinctive, metallic wing-whistle produced by the males in flight. To survive freezing alpine nights, these tiny birds enter torpor, lowering their body temperature to near-ambient levels to conserve energy. They breed in open pine-oak woodlands and montane forests, following the seasonal bloom of wildflowers northward each spring.
MigratoryHighlandNectar-feeder
Licensed referenceMichelle Lynn Reynolds / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
- diet
- Nectar and small insects
- family
- Trochilidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, climate change shifting bloom times, pesticide use
- life Span
- 3 to 7 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Feeder Placement: Hang sugar-water feeders near red tubular flowers to attract them to your yard.
- Listen Closely: Identify flying males by the high-pitched, cricket-like trill made by their wingtips.
- Plant Native: Grow scarlet gilia, columbine, and larkspur to support their high-energy lifestyle.