Broad-tailed hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
Identification Tips:
- Medium-sized hummingbird
- Long, straight, thin bill
Adult male:
- Bright green back and head
- Entirely dark tail
- White underparts with greenish flanks
- Rosy-red gorget
- Distinctive wing whistle when flying
Female/Immatures:
- Green back and crown
- White chin and throat with variable amounts of thin dark
streaking
- White underparts
- Dark tail with buff bases and white tips on outer tail feathers
- Rufous flanks
Similar species:
Male Ruby-throated Humminbirds have deeper red
throats, black masks, are somewhat smaller, and lack to Broad-
tailed Hummingbirds distinctive wing whistle. Females are much
larger and bigger-tailed than the small Calliope Hummingbird, but
are similar to Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds. Broad-tailed is
best identified by its size, large, broad tail, and restricted
amounts of rufous in the tail, more blue-green back, whiter undertail
coverts, as well as its call note.