Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Buff-bellied Hummingbird; Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Texas; June.

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Buff-bellied Hummingbird, female; Texas; February

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Reproduction
8. Conservation Status
9. Other Names

The Buff-bellied Hummingbird breeds near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, from south Texas to Mexico. It is probably the least-studied hummingbird that regularly occurs in the United States.

Cool Facts

• The Buff-bellied Hummingbird evidently regularly disperses to the northeast from its breeding areas in south Texas. This northerly movement is unique among North American hummingbirds.

Description

• Size: 10-11 cm (4-4 in)
• Wingspan: 14 cm (6 in)
• Weight: 2-4 g (0.07-0.14 ounces)

Small hummingbird. Green upperparts. Red bill with dark tip. Rufous tail. Cinnamon-buff belly.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female has darker upper portion of bill and less iridescent green throat.

Immature

Immature duller than adults, with grayish or buffy throat and chest. Feathers throughout are edged with buff or tawny.

Similar Species

• Very rare Berylline Hummingbird similar, but has rufous wings and dark purple-bronze uppertail coverts; Buff-bellied has dark wings and green uppertail coverts.

Sound

In aggressive interactions with other Buff-bellied Hummingbirds, gives a rapid series of low notes. Displaying birds make a two-syllable call.

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Summer Range

Breeds in coastal areas along Gulf of Mexico, from south Texas to Yucatán Peninsula to parts of Belize and Guatemala.

Winter Range

Winters throughout breeding range. Also occurs in winter in upper Texas coast, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Habitat

Open woodland, second growth, clearings, scrub, plantations and gardens.

Reproduction

Clutch Size

Condition at Hatching

Helpless.

Conservation Status

Land development may reduce breeding habitat for the Buff-bellied Hummingbird in Texas and Mexico; actual effects have not been documented.

Other Names

Ariane du Yucatan (French)
Colibri yucateco (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Chavez-Ramirez, F., and A. Moreno-Valdez. 1999. Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 388 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.