Quick answer: Worldwide, there are 366 recognized hummingbird species, but only a fraction of those ever reach the United States. Fourteen species breed regularly or turn up reliably enough in the US to have their own dedicated range, and the Desert Southwest — especially southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas — hosts by far the greatest diversity of any region in the country. Four species have breeding ranges wide enough to cover most of the continental US between them: the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (East), Black-chinned Hummingbird (widespread West), Anna's Hummingbird (Pacific Coast, year-round), and Rufous Hummingbird (Pacific Northwest to Alaska, the widest-ranging migrant).

Identifying hummingbirds comes down to a few key clues: range and season (the single most useful filter), the male's gorget (throat patch) color, body coloration, and size. Females and immature birds are often much harder to distinguish between species than adult males, so range and timing matter even more when you can't rely on a bright throat patch. Below is a brief look at all 14 species you might encounter in the US, organized by where you'll find them, each linking to our full species guide with identification photos, range maps, and everything else you need to know.

Eastern US

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Range: The only hummingbird that breeds east of the Mississippi River, found throughout the eastern US and southern Canada in summer.

Identification: Males have a brilliant ruby-red gorget that flashes in direct light but can look black in shadow, an emerald-green back, and a dark forked tail. Females lack the red throat, showing white underparts and a green back instead.

Notable fact: With a global breeding population estimated at roughly 34 to 36 million, the Ruby-throated is the most common hummingbird in North America — and it earns that title while making one of the most demanding migrations of any hummingbird, with some individuals flying nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico.

Read the full Ruby-throated Hummingbird guide →

Pacific Coast

Anna's Hummingbird

Range: Year-round resident along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Baja California — one of the only hummingbirds most people in this region will see in winter.

Identification: Males have an iridescent rose-pink crown and throat (unlike most species, where the color is confined to the throat alone), with a metallic green back. Females have a green back and paler underside, sometimes with a small patch of pink on the throat.

Notable fact: Unlike nearly every other US species, Anna's doesn't migrate south for winter, making it the default "hummingbird you'll actually see" for much of the Pacific Coast in the colder months.

Read the full Anna's Hummingbird guide →

Allen's Hummingbird

Range: Breeds along a narrow strip of coastal California and southern Oregon, with a separate non-migratory population resident year-round on California's Channel Islands and parts of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Identification: Males are a brilliant orange-rufous overall with an iridescent orange-red gorget, closely resembling the Rufous Hummingbird — the most reliable difference is Allen's green (rather than rufous) back, though the two can still be difficult to distinguish in the field. Females are green above with rufous wash on the flanks and tail.

Notable fact: Despite being one of the most range-restricted hummingbirds in the country, Allen's is regularly reported wintering along the upper Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast — a genuine surprise for a bird whose core range is a thin sliver of Pacific coastline.

Read the full Allen's Hummingbird guide →

Widespread Western Species

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Range: One of the most adaptable North American species, found from southern British Columbia to northern Mexico, across deserts, mountain forests, and even urban parks.

Identification: Males show a velvety black throat with a thin band of iridescent purple at the base, often appearing entirely black except in direct light. Females have a plain, pale throat.

Notable fact: Pumps its tail almost constantly while hovering — a genuinely useful field mark, since the very similar female Ruby-throated Hummingbird holds its tail still.

Read the full Black-chinned Hummingbird guide →

Rufous Hummingbird

Range: Breeds from the Pacific Northwest up into Alaska — the widest-ranging western species, recorded in nearly every US state and Canadian province at some point during migration.

Identification: Males are a brilliant orange-rufous overall with a fiery red-orange gorget.

Notable fact: Known as the most aggressive hummingbird species in North America — a single Rufous will readily defend a feeder against birds twice its size. Worth knowing, though: recent surveys have found the species in real decline, with population losses over the past several decades prompting increased conservation attention.

Read the full Rufous Hummingbird guide →

Calliope Hummingbird

Range: Breeds in mountain meadows of the Pacific Northwest and Rockies, wintering in Mexico.

Identification: North America's smallest hummingbird species, at about 3 inches long and roughly 2.5 grams — lighter than a penny. Males have a distinctive throat pattern of separate magenta-red streaks radiating outward, rather than one solid gorget.

Notable fact: Despite being the smallest bird in the US and Canada, Calliopes are fiercely territorial and have been documented chasing off birds as large as Red-tailed Hawks during breeding season.

Read the full Calliope Hummingbird guide →

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Range: Mountainous regions of the western US, particularly high-elevation meadows, breeding up to 10,500 feet.

Identification: Males produce a distinctive metallic wing trill audible in flight — often the first clue to their presence before you spot the bird itself.

Notable fact: This species enters torpor on cold mountain nights, dropping its body temperature to around 54°F. Nesting females stay put in insulated nests to cope with the cold, while males often fly upslope overnight to escape pooled cold air in the valleys below.

Read the full Broad-tailed Hummingbird guide →

Desert Southwest Specialties

If you're in southern Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas, the list of species you might see grows considerably. This borderland region is widely considered the hummingbird hotspot of the US — one Arizona State University researcher has noted that parts of southeastern Arizona alone can host up to 14 species, more than anywhere else in the country.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Range: Primarily a Mexican species that just reaches into the mountain canyons of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and occasionally southwestern Texas during breeding season, with a small but growing number now overwintering near the border.

Identification: A bright red bill with a dark tip is the standout feature — unusual among North American hummingbirds, most of which have all-dark bills. Males show a rich blue-green throat and chest.

Notable fact: During courtship, the male performs a precision side-to-side flight display in front of the female, often compared to a hypnotist's swinging pocket watch.

Read the full Broad-billed Hummingbird guide →

Costa's Hummingbird

Range: Found across the arid landscapes and desert scrub of the Southwest.

Identification: Males have a deep violet-purple crown and throat that extends into elongated points along the sides — distinctive even among the region's many colorful species.

Notable fact: Enters torpor, a hibernation-like state that drops body temperature and metabolism, to survive cold desert nights or stretches with little available nectar — a genuine adaptation to its harsh desert habitat.

Read the full Costa's Hummingbird guide →

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Range: Occurs mainly along the Gulf Coast, breeding in southern Texas and ranging into eastern Mexico.

Identification: A red bill with a dark tip, bronze-green upperparts, and a buff-colored belly.

Notable fact: Unlike most North American hummingbirds, this species regularly disperses northeast along the Gulf Coast after breeding rather than migrating south, showing up as far as Louisiana, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle in fall and winter.

Read the full Buff-bellied Hummingbird guide →

Lucifer Hummingbird

Range: A true desert specialist with one real US stronghold: the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend, Texas, with smaller numbers in select canyons of southern Arizona and a small breeding population in southwestern New Mexico.

Identification: Look for a long, distinctly curved bill, a deeply forked tail, and a long purple gorget with a distinctive outward flare on males.

Notable fact: This species has a courtship display unlike any other hummingbird's — rather than displaying at a favorite perch or feeding area, the male performs his entire display directly at the female's own nest while she's building it or laying eggs.

Read the full Lucifer Hummingbird guide →

Rivoli's Hummingbird

Range: The mountain canyons of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico represent the northern edge of a range that otherwise runs south through Mexico to Nicaragua.

Identification: One of the two largest hummingbirds in the US — males appear almost blackish at first glance, but flash a glittering green gorget and violet crown when the light hits just right.

Notable fact: Its common name has officially changed twice in the last 200 years — from Rivoli's, to Magnificent, and back to Rivoli's again in 2017, once genetic research confirmed it was a distinct species from its closest relative.

Read the full Rivoli's Hummingbird guide →

Blue-throated Mountain-gem

Range: A genuinely narrow US range — sky-island canyons of southeastern Arizona and the Chisos Mountains of southwestern Texas.

Identification: The largest hummingbird species breeding in the United States. Males have a brilliant sapphire-colored gorget that glitters only in good, direct light, while both sexes share double white stripes on the face and plain gray underparts.

Notable fact: One of the only hummingbirds anywhere that sings actual duets — both males and females produce complex songs, sometimes performed together during courtship, a trait unknown in any other hummingbird found in the US.

Read the full Blue-throated Mountain-gem guide →

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Range: One of the rarest and most range-restricted hummingbirds in the country, found regularly only in southeastern Arizona and a single known breeding site in southwestern New Mexico.

Identification: The only US hummingbird with no colorful throat gorget at all — identify it instead by clean white underparts, a glittering violet crown, and a long orange bill with a black tip.

Notable fact: More people have first seen this species at a single Arizona backyard — the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia — than anywhere else on Earth.

Read the full Violet-crowned Hummingbird guide →

Quick Reference

Key Takeaways

• Range and season are the most reliable identification tools — a breeding-season hummingbird in the eastern US is almost certainly a Ruby-throated.
• Four species (Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna's, Rufous) cover the majority of the continental US between them.
• The Desert Southwest hosts by far the greatest diversity, with seven specialty species rarely seen elsewhere in the country.
• Male gorget (throat patch) color is the most useful visual field mark, but it's iridescent and can look black without direct light hitting it.
• Females and immature birds are often difficult or impossible to distinguish between similar species — lean on range and timing when the throat isn't a reliable clue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many types of hummingbirds are there?

Worldwide, there are 366 recognized hummingbird species. Far fewer reach the United States — 14 species breed regularly or turn up reliably enough to have their own dedicated range here, while roughly 23 species have been documented across North America as a whole once Mexico and rare vagrants are included.

How many hummingbird species are in North America or the US?

About 14 species are found regularly in the US, concentrated heavily in the Desert Southwest. Broaden the scope to all of North America, including Mexico and occasional vagrants, and the count rises to roughly 23 species.

What is the most common hummingbird in the US?

It depends on region. In the East, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is essentially the only breeding species, with a global population estimated around 34 to 36 million. In the West, Anna's and Rufous Hummingbirds are the most widely encountered.

Which hummingbird is the rarest in the US?

The Violet-crowned Hummingbird is among the rarest regularly-occurring US species, limited to a small area of southeastern Arizona and a single known breeding site in southwestern New Mexico. True accidental visitors, like the Green-breasted Mango or Plain-capped Starthroat, are rarer still but don't occur with any regularity.

What states have the most hummingbird species?

Arizona is the clear leader, with parts of the southeastern part of the state hosting as many as 14 species thanks to its mix of desert, canyon, and sky-island habitats along the Mexican border. Texas and New Mexico follow, driven by the same borderland diversity.

How do I identify a hummingbird species?

Start with range and season, since that narrows the possibilities significantly before you even look at the bird. Then check the male's gorget (throat patch) color, overall body coloration, and size — keeping in mind gorget color is iridescent and can appear black without direct light. Females and immatures are often best identified by range and timing alone.

Which hummingbirds come to backyard feeders?

Every widespread US species will readily use a feeder: Ruby-throated in the East; Anna's, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Allen's, and Calliope across the West; and most of the Desert Southwest specialties in their narrow ranges. Use a simple nectar of one part table sugar to four parts water, skip the red dye, and clean the feeder every few days.

What is the smallest hummingbird in the US?

The Calliope Hummingbird, at about 3 inches long and roughly 2.5 grams, is the smallest bird in the United States and Canada — lighter than a penny.

What is the largest hummingbird in the US?

The Blue-throated Mountain-gem is the largest species that breeds in the country, found only in a handful of sky-island canyons in southeastern Arizona and the Chisos Mountains of Texas.

Do any hummingbirds stay in the US year-round?

Anna's Hummingbird is the main exception, remaining along the Pacific Coast through winter rather than migrating south. A small and growing number of Allen's, Broad-billed, and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds also now overwinter near feeders in parts of the Southwest, a pattern that's become more common in recent decades.

Ready to attract more hummingbirds to your own backyard? Explore our feeders, nectars, swings, and wildflower seed blends to start building your own hummingbird sanctuary today. Or find your state in our full hummingbird guide by state series.