Hummingbirds in Rhode Island: The Complete Guide to All 3 Species

In October 2013, two Calliope Hummingbirds turned up together at a feeder in Little Compton — the only accepted Calliope record Rhode Island has ever had, and nothing before or since. Rhode Island's hummingbird list is short, but it holds a genuine, if rare, western regular alongside that single striking rarity. One breeder, one real recurring visitor, and one true one-off.

All 3 documented Rhode Island hummingbird species, grouped by tier — cross-checked against Rhode Island's rare-bird record history.

The Hummingbird You're Most Likely to See

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Breeds Here

Rhode Island's only breeding hummingbird, and the only hummingbird that breeds anywhere in eastern North America. It nests statewide, wherever there's a mix of trees and open space for feeding. Statewide checklist activity peaks near 20.3% in late summer.

Quick ID: Adult males show a brilliant iridescent ruby-red throat that can look flat black until light hits it directly, paired with an emerald-green back. Females and immatures lack the red throat, showing a plain whitish throat and a rounded, white-tipped tail instead.

A Little Throne for Your Ruby-throated

Rhode Island's only breeder nests statewide each summer. A stable perch gives it somewhere to watch from besides your feeder port — a place to hold territory before the state's one recurring rarity might show up each fall.

Shop Charm Redwood Swing →

Rhode Island's Recurring Rarity

Rufous Hummingbird Rare / Casual Visitor

Eight accepted records, not an isolated pattern — the most recent from 2021-22, genuinely within the current window rather than a run of old sightings. A real, if uncommon, fall visitor.

Quick ID: Adult males are almost entirely coppery-orange with a glowing orange-red throat, and the only largely rufous-backed hummingbird in North America; females and immatures are green-backed with rufous-washed flanks.

An Extra Feeder for Your Rufous Visitor

Rufous is famously aggressive at a feeder and will chase off anything else in the yard, regardless of size. A second station spread across the yard gives a lingering Ruby-throated or a passing rarity room of its own instead of one bird claiming the whole supply.

Shop AspenPerch Feeder →

If You're Lucky: Rhode Island's Genuine One-Off

Calliope Hummingbird Historic / Accidental

Rhode Island's only accepted record: two individuals together at a feeder in Little Compton, October 2013. Nothing has been recorded before or since — a genuine, singular event.

Quick ID: North America's smallest breeding hummingbird, with a hunched posture and short tail. Males have a unique streaked, ray-like magenta throat unlike any other species' solid gorget. Females are tiny even by hummingbird standards, with a peachy wash across the underparts and fine green stippling on the throat.

Give Every Visitor a Reason to Stay

Rhode Island's Calliope record was a genuine one-off, not a pattern — but real nectar sources give any visitor, common or rare, more reason to stick around your yard, whether it's your resident Ruby-throated or the next unexpected arrival.

Shop Nectarlyte® Powder →

Shop Wildflower Seed →

Rhode Island Hummingbirds at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

How many species of hummingbirds are in Rhode Island?

Three species have been documented in Rhode Island. Ruby-throated is the only breeder, Rufous is a genuinely recurring rare visitor with eight accepted records, and Calliope is a single accepted event, two birds together in 2013.

Are there hummingbirds in Rhode Island in the fall?

Yes — Rufous Hummingbird is a real, if uncommon, fall visitor with eight accepted records, the most recent as recent as 2021-22.

What was the Rhode Island Calliope Hummingbird record?

Two individuals together at a feeder in Little Compton, October 2013 — Rhode Island's only accepted Calliope record. Nothing has been recorded before or since.

For feeder setup, nectar ratios, and native plants that support these species, head back to our how-to-attract-hummingbirds-in-Rhode-Island guide. For arrival and departure windows, see the Rhode Island hummingbird calendar.

Why We Created This

Pop's Birding has been helping hummingbird lovers for three generations. One of the questions our customers ask most often is "What hummingbirds are actually in my state?" — and for Rhode Island, we built this page to give a direct, sourced answer: the complete, officially documented list, with an honest account of which rarity is genuinely recurring versus a true one-off.

How We Created This

We pulled eBird bar chart data for Rhode Island statewide to establish which species show a real, measurable presence at genuine statewide scale. Only Ruby-throated cleared a meaningful bar; Rufous and Calliope both measured well under half a percent at true statewide scale, so no frequency chart appears on this page. We cross-checked both rare species against Rhode Island's own rare-bird accepted-record history rather than relying on eBird frequency alone, which is what distinguishes Rufous's genuine eight-record recurring pattern from Calliope's single documented event.

Sources

• Rhode Island Avian Records Committee (RIARC). Source for accepted-record counts and dates for both rare species on this page.
• eBird bar chart data, Cornell Lab of Ornithology — Rhode Island statewide.