Hummingbirds have been reported to exist in the United States in 27 different species. Some of them are regular visitors, while others come only once or by chance. We have discovered four species of hummingbirds in New Mexico, as well as twelve semi-common and rare species. New Mexico is one of the greatest places in America to seek out difficult-to-find hummingbirds, with a total of 16 species of hummingbirds. New Mexico has the benefit of attracting certain hummingbirds that aren’t seen in other states because it shares a border with Mexico.
16 HUMMINGBIRDS IN NEW MEXICO
We’ve compiled a list of hummingbirds that may be seen in the state of New Mexico based on range maps from authoritative sources like allaboutbirds.org and ebird.org. The species name, images of what it looks like, characteristics about appearance, and where and when you may observe them are all available for each species in this list. First, we’ll list the four most frequently seen species, followed by the twelve others.
For tips on attracting hummingbirds to your yard, keep reading at the end of the article.
Enjoy!
1. BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Selasphorus platycerus
Hummingbirds with broad tails prefer high places and breed up to 10,500 feet above sea level. The neck of the male is rosey-magenta in color. The throat and cheeks of females are green, and the sides are buffy. During migration, you might only glimpse them in the state’s far eastern reaches, but they will remain for the summer to nest in the state’s central and eastern regions.
Hummingbirds of the broad tail are short-term residents in America. So, in New Mexico’s many national forests and mountain parks, look for them between May and August in meadows and forest clearings.
2. BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Archilochus alexandri
Each year, black-chinned hummingbirds from Mexico and Central America migrate to the western United States to breed. In most light, males have a small strip of purple feathers along the bottom of their throat, which is occasionally visible. Females have a plain throat and are green above and pale below, as are most hummingbird females. They prefer to perch on bare branches and may be found in a variety of environments from deserts to mountain forests.
From spring to autumn, look for black-chinned hummingbirds in New Mexico.
3. CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Selasphorus calliope
The Pacific Northwest and sections of western Canada are home to the calliope hummingbird throughout the breeding season, although it may be seen in New Mexico throughout the spring and fall. The calliope is the smallest bird in the United States, so this is a remarkably long migration! Males have a distinctive magenta striped throat that forks down on the sides. Plain females have peachy underparts and greenish-colored spots on the neck.
Only during migration does Calliope Hummingbirds stop in New Mexico. National forests, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque are where you’ll find them.
4. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Selasphorus rufus
When it comes to sharing feeders and chasing away other hummers, Rufous hummingbirds are well-known for being very “feisty.” The top breast of males is white, and their throat is orange-red. Males are orange all over. Green females with rusty patches and a speckled throat They go up through California in the spring, then spend the summer in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, then come back down through the Rockies in the fall.
During migrations, Rufous Hummingbirds barely stop in New Mexico. In the spring and late summer, keep an eye out for them. They seem to be more frequent in the north and west, but they may appear anywhere.
5. RIVOLI’S HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Eugenes fulgens
The magnificent hummingbird used to be the name for the Rivoli’s hummingbird. The head of a male is dark purple, with a brighter teal collar. Green and brown are their natural colors. In some light, they may appear to be dark overall. Females are green on top and white on the bottom, whereas males do not have this coloration. With a longer beak than other hummers seen in the United States, they are somewhat bigger. They prefer shady canyons and steep woodlands, and they are most often seen in Mexico.
Rivoli’s are frequent visitors in New Mexico, which is one of the few states where they may be found. The Gila national forest is where they are most often seen, but they may also be found in other wooded regions of the state. They come back to Mexico in the fall after visiting in the spring and summer.
6. BLUE-THROATED MOUNTAIN GEM
Scientific name: Lampornis clemenciae
The biggest hummingbird species in the United States, the blue-throated mountain gem, breeds here. The face of both sexes is striped white, the back is green, and the breast is gray. The neck of a man is bright blue. Look for them in the wild along flower-lined streams in mountainous terrain. They’re not common in New Mexico, but throughout the breeding season in the spring and summer, one or two are spotted each year.
The southern section of New Mexico has the best chance of finding one, but sightings have occurred all across the state throughout the years, and there doesn’t seem to be a “hot spot.”
7. LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Calothorax lucifer
The throat of the male lucifer hummingbird is magenta-purple, and it extends down over the upper chest and flares out on either side. They have a forked tail and a slightly bent bill that is curved downwards. Females have a cinnamon patch on their upper tail feathers and are green on top with a light below and pale below. In the United States, these hummingbirds are difficult to find. Birders have a strong desire for them. Canyons and scrub with agave and cactus are their preferred habitat.
In the spring and summer, Lucifer hummingbirds may be seen in New Mexico, although they are uncommon. Around the Carlsbad Caverns and in the extreme southwest corner along the Arizona border have traditionally been the best spots to detect them.
8. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Archilochus colubris
Throughout the eastern half of the United States, ruby-throated hummingbirds may be found in abundance, however not in New Mexico. The back is green, and the underparts are white. The neck of a male is crimson red, which turns black in certain circumstances. From their wintering grounds in Central America, they arrive in droves each spring. Those spotted in New Mexico are likely to be migrating through on the far edge of their range, since they stop to breed in eastern Texas.
Only during migration seasons in the south and east portions of the state can you find Ruby-throated hummingbirds, which are only seen on a regular basis in New Mexico.
9. ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Calypte anna
Anna is actually living in the United States. You can only find them in a few western states, such as California, Arizona, and Oregon, during the year inside most of their range. Even their chest and belly are sprinkled with emerald feathers, and their feathers are a bit brighter and more iridescent than most others. The crimson-pink skin on males’ necks extends up over their foreheads, while their feathers are vivid. They adore gardens and eucalyptus trees, and they are content in backyards.
Anna’s are not particularly frequent in New Mexico, despite the fact that they are common in neighboring Arizona. Although the majority of their sightings are in the southern part of the state, bordering Arizona and around Las Cruces during the winter months, they do wander over the border from time to time.
10. BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Cynanthus latirostris
In the United States, there are just two states. Arizona and New Mexico are two places where the broad-billed hummingbird breeds. With their purplish-blue neck and blueish-green belly, males are difficult to mistake. Their beaks are orange with a black tip, as well. The typical black beak of females is washed out green above and grayish below.
Broad-billed hummingbirds are most frequently spotted in the state’s far southwest corner, although they have been spotted in a number of areas.
11. ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Selasphorus sasin
Every year, these tiny Central American insects travel all the way to California’s Pacific Coast to breed. It can be difficult to tell the difference between these two species because they have similar coloring. Orange with a green back and an orangey-red throat, Allen’s males are bright! The neck of females is speckled, and the flanks are brownish-orange. As compared to other hummingbirds, they migrate to California in January, albeit a little later.
In New Mexico, Allen’s are uncommon, however during migration, particularly in the summer months of July and August in the southwest of the state, you may see them.
12. WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Basilinna leucotis
Hummingbirds are native to Mexico and Central America, although they may be found in the southwest United States on occasion. The dark head of both females and males features a huge white stripe that starts above the eye, a green body, and black wings. Males have a blueish-green neck and face that may be black at times, with an orange beak with a black tip.
In New Mexico, white-eared hummingbirds are a unusual but accidental visitor. The Gila and Lincoln National Forests are two locations where they have been spotted.
13. MEXICAN VIOLETEAR (AKA GREEN VIOLETEAR)
Scientific name: Colibri thalassinus
Although they have been seen in numerous states in the United States, particularly in the eastern part of Texas, the bigger Mexican violetear is exclusively found throughout Mexico and Central America. They’re bigger hummingbirds with iridescent purple on their cheek and dark wings. They have an emerald green body.
In New Mexico, the Mexican violetear is thought to be uncommon, although it is possible to encounter one from time to time.
14. VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Leucolia violiceps
This tiny beauty is common in Mexico, and it has been known to migrate into the United States’ southwest. Their back is dark gray, their face is white, and their beak is purple with a black tip.
Hummingbirds with violet crowns are fairly uncommon, and they are most often spotted in New Mexico’s southwest corner.
15. BERYLLINE HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Saucerottia beryllina
With a completely green head and chest, brown back, and underparts that are either pale or buffy, the berylline hummingbird has very woodsy colors. In the United States, these Mexican hummingbirds are relatively uncommon. In Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, they’ve only made a few appearances.
16. COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD
Scientific name: Calypte costae
The deep purple skin of male Costa Ricans has become well-known. They have purple feathers that protrude out on both sides like a mustache, with a splash of purple on their foreheads and neck. Green on top and white on the bottom for females. Costa’s have somewhat shorter wings and tail than other hummingbirds, and they are compact. Baja and southern California are home to these creatures all year.
In New Mexico, Costas are only visible during the breeding season and are exclusively located in the state’s far southern region.
ATTRACTING HUMMINGBIRDS TO YOUR YARD
1. HANG HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS
Hanging a nectar feeder in your yard might be the most effective way to attract hummingbirds. Hummingbirds must constantly eat and have a dependable source of nectar. Pick a feeder that’s simple to disassemble and clean, and the color red is a good choice. Cleaning and refilling should be done more than once per week in hot weather. For most people, we recommend a saucer-shaped feeder. They’re simple to clean, operate well, and don’t hold a lot of nectar.
2. MAKE YOUR OWN NECTAR
By making your own nectar, you can avoid unnecessary (and occasionally hazardous) additives. It’s inexpensive, simple, and fast. Simply add 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water and you’ll have everything you need. Making your own nectar without boiling the water is incredibly simple, as we show in our how-to article.
3. PLANT NATIVE FLOWERS
Plant some flowers in your yard that hummers will like, aside from a feeder. Red (as well as orange, pink, and purple) blossoms, as well as blossoms with trumpet or tubular form, are particularly appealing to them. Vertical planting might help you save space. Long cascading vines of flowers can be grown vertically on an obelisk trellis or a flat trellis attached to the side of your home. Hummingbirds are attracted to the following plants and flowers.
4. PROVIDE WATER
Hummingbirds need to drink and bathe in water. They will utilize bath with the appropriate “requirements,” despite the fact that they may find conventional bird baths too deep. For ideas on how to DIY something wonderful for your yard, take a look at these fantastic options for hummingbird baths you may buy.
5. PROMOTE INSECTS
Sugar isn’t enough for most hummingbirds, so they need protein as well. Small insects account for a third of their diet. Mosquitoes, fruit flies, spiders, and gnats are all examples of these. Avoiding pesticides is a good way to help your hummers. See our 5 simple tips for more advice on insect feeders and ways to nourish hummers.