Broad-Billed Hummingbird

A Broad-Billed Hummingbird is a fun bird to see while bird watching. Below are some tips to help you identify Broad-Billed Hummingbirds. We have also put together a list of fun Broad-billed Hummingbird t-shirts, Broad-billed Hummingbird bird patches, birdhouses, bird feeders, binoculars, stickers, and other fun bird watching items.

About Broad-Billed Hummingbirds

Also known as the “Circe Hummingbird”, it is characteristically named after its long, slender, red bill. It is a middle-sized hummingbird that is known for its remarkable colors.

Description and Identification

This is a very small hummingbird barely reaching a good 8-10 cm in length. It barely weighs anything,
3-4 grams if you will. The females have been measured to be weighing a decent amount lesser than
the males. It has a beautiful 13cm wingspan and it allows its beauty to be seen from far away. With a
very prominent red color on the beak with some jet black on its tip to add some poise to this
majestic bird. With a bright, metallic green on its dorsal surface, it has dull colors around the crown
and its forehead.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Size

Both the male and female are averagely the same size.

Length: 3.5 to 3.9 inches

Wingspan: 4.7 inches

Weight: 3-4 grams

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Appearance

The adult bird is glossy green with a gray ear patch. Its throat is a clear gray and its tail is dark on the upper side and white on its underside.

The male is distinguished from the female by its blue throat and green chest. The female has gray underparts and is mostly less colorful than its male counterpart.

The young ones closely resemble the dull colors of the adult female but have buffy feathers.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Food

These birds eat all insects. They have been known to eat both nectar and insects. Otherwise, they
have also been seen to approach the sugar water feeders in search of nourishment. They have also
been seen to be visiting a particular type of flower in search of nectar. The red and the yellow
flowers are the go-to flowers for the broad-billed hummingbird. To feed on nectar, they simply allow
their long beak to suck the nectar out of the flower but when it comes to insects, they either catch
them mid-air or conveniently pluck them off of a shrub or a bush.

The broad-billed hummingbird feeds mostly on nectar from flowers and trees. It also uses the feathers on its wings to trap insects and feed on them as a source of protein.

They feed 5-10 times a day because of their high metabolic rate.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Habitat

These birds have caught quite the eye of the people of the United States of America. They live
around stream sides and Oaklands with much vegetation and a lot of water. It prefers to live really
close to streams in order to stay hydrated all the time. It is often seen around areas with Arizona
Sycamore, the Fremont Cottonwoods, and mesquite. However, during breeding season they move to
areas like desert canyons and low mountain Oaklands in order to ensure safe breeding. Their
common areas of breeding are Southeast Arizona, Southwest Mexico, and highly unlikely at
Southwest Texas.

The birds live in semi-arid scrubs, open forests, semi-deserts and in other arid habitats.

The hummingbirds are generally considered partially migratory because, during winter, they migrate from Northern to Central Mexico and move outside their breeding range.

It is also found in Arizona, Southern United States, California, and Louisiana.

Range and Migration

The breeding populations of this species in the United States, Sonora, and Neuvo Leon are all
migratory. Although their migratory practices are very uncertain, it is almost clear that they fly down
to Mexico and the deep South with regard to seasonal changes. The populations towards the North,
migrate south at the beginning of November and return in early March. There are claims stating that
the broad-billed hummingbird was in fact seen around the areas of the East Coast, Idaho, Colorado,
Texas, and Southern California.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Life and Behavior

The males signal courtship and initiate mating by flying in a U-pattern close to the female. After mating, the male flies off and finds another female to mate with. The females are equally promiscuous to the male hummingbirds.

The birds have very strong chest muscles, such that their wings’ upstroke matches its downstroke. Their wings beat up to 79 times a second, making these birds very fast and blurry when in flight. Their speed helps them escape predators.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Nesting

Remembering the fact that they are small birds, they need nests that are just off the ground in order
to help them get to it. They build their nests just about 2metres off the ground. Usually at an
average height of 1.1metres off the ground. If they live towards the south, they seem to have a less
selection of nests to choose from. The interior of the nest is made up of plant stems, leaves, plant
downs, plant blooms, or even lichen. Apart from this, the female builds the nest and ensures that it
fits her body shape in order to incubate the eggs in a proper manner.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Broad-Billed Hummingbirds

The most common types of bird-watching binoculars for viewing Broad-Billed Hummingbirds are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird T-shirts

If you love the Broad-billed Hummingbird you should purchase a Bird Watching Academy & Camp T-shirt. To help support bird conservation we donate 10 percent to bird conservation activities.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Iron On Patches

Kids, Youth, and Adults love to collect our Bird Watching Academy & Camp iron-on patches. Our bird-watching patches help you keep track of the birds you have seen and identified. You can also display the patches on our Bird Watching Academy & Camp banners.

The Broad-billed Hummingbird is a great iron-on patch to start your collection with. The patches are durable and can be sewn on or ironed on to just about anything.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Broad-Billed Hummingbird. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders for Broad-Billed Hummingbird

There are many types of bird feeders. Here are our favorite bird feeders for your backyard. We use all of these bird feeders currently. Kids will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. Using this collection of bird feeders will provide a wide variety and many types of birds.

Best Bird Houses for Broad-Billed Hummingbird

There are many types of birdhouses. Building a birdhouse is always fun but can be frustrating. These 4 birdhouses have become our favorites. Getting a birdhouse for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. We spent a little extra money on these birdhouses but they have been worth the higher price and look great.