Louisiana is genuinely one of the best states in the country for winter hummingbird variety, even though only one species actually breeds here. That combination — a single predictable summer breeder, then a real cast of winter visitors — is what makes identification here more interesting than it first looks. This guide sorts out which hummingbird you're actually seeing, whether that's spring, summer, or the depths of a Louisiana winter.

For feeder setup, native plants, and pest-safe care, see our how-to-attract guide. For exact arrival and departure windows by region, see the Louisiana hummingbird calendar.

The Hummingbird You're Most Likely to See

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Louisiana's only breeding hummingbird, abundant from spring through fall statewide. Males show off a brilliant iridescent red throat, while females carry plain white throats. Feeders often quiet down somewhat during peak nesting season as females become secretive, then pick back up as young birds fledge.

Quick ID: Males flash an iridescent ruby-red throat that can look flat black without direct light, with a green back and a slightly forked tail. Females and young have plain whitish throats and a rounded, white-tipped tail — from April through September, if it's not a known winter species, it's this one.

Louisiana's Winter Specialists

Ruby-throated mostly clears out by fall, but Louisiana's winter feeders don't go quiet — two species turn up reliably enough to plan around.

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

A regular fall-and-winter visitor from Texas and Mexico, especially in southern and coastal Louisiana, and nearly twice the size of a Ruby-throated. Identifiable by its soft tan belly, greenish throat, and bright red bill. In the U.S., Buff-bellied breeds only in Texas — the Louisiana birds you see are post-breeding visitors moving in for the cooler months, not a local breeding population.

Quick ID: Noticeably larger and stockier than a Ruby-throated, with a soft buff-tan belly, a metallic olive-green throat and breast, and a bright red bill tipped in black — no other regular Louisiana hummingbird has that red bill.

Rufous Hummingbird

Louisiana's most reliable winter visitor by far, with individuals arriving from mid-to-late summer onward and remaining into March. Males are a fiery orange-red and famously aggressive, often dominating feeders and driving away larger Ruby-throateds. Wintering Rufous are found in parishes across the state, but our own review of county-level eBird data (2016–2025) shows them concentrated in the south-central and southeastern corridor — Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans — which matches Audubon Delta's long-running Winter Hummingbird Database naming the same parishes among the state's top spots for wintering birds.

Quick ID: Adult males are unmistakable — fiery coppery-orange overall with an iridescent orange-red throat. Females and immatures are trickier: green-backed with rufous-washed flanks and a rufous tail base, essentially inseparable from female Allen's in the field except by very fine measurements.

If You're Lucky: Louisiana's Winter Rarities

Louisiana's full winter species list runs deeper still — seven more species have been documented and accepted by the Louisiana Bird Records Committee, each with its own identification story. If you see a hummingbird in your yard between November and February that isn't a Buff-bellied or a fiery-orange Rufous male, it's worth a closer look at one of these.

Anna's Hummingbird

The one species here with color on the crown, not just the throat — adult males show an iridescent rose-pink crown and gorget together, a combination no other Louisiana hummingbird shares. Females are grayer, usually with just a small central patch of pink at the throat.

Allen's Hummingbird

Closely resembles Rufous, and just as hard to pin down. Adult males show a bronze-green back against a coppery tail, eye patch, and belly, while Rufous is typically solid copper — though some male Rufous also show green backs, which erases that shortcut. Females are essentially inseparable from female Rufous without examining the shape of the spread tail feathers.

Calliope Hummingbird

North America's smallest hummingbird, and identifiable by that alone in most cases. Adult males show a gorget of separate magenta streaks radiating outward against a white throat, rather than a solid patch. Females are green above with a peachy wash below and fine dark stippling on the throat.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Adult males show a velvety black throat edged with a thin band of iridescent purple, visible only at the right angle — from most angles it simply reads black. Females have a plain pale throat and are not reliably separable from female Ruby-throated by sight, though Black-chinned tend to pump and fan their tails almost constantly while hovering.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

A mountain-West species a long way from home in Louisiana. Males show a rose-magenta throat, but the more useful field mark is audible: males produce a distinctive metallic trilling whistle with their wings in flight, a sound none of Louisiana's other hummingbirds make.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

The easiest of the seven to call with confidence. A bright red bill tipped in black, paired with a shimmering blue throat and rich green body, has nothing else on Louisiana's list to be confused with.

Rivoli's Hummingbird

Known as Magnificent Hummingbird until the American Ornithological Society split the species back into Rivoli's and Talamanca Hummingbird in 2017. It's also, by a wide margin, the largest hummingbird on this list — size alone separates it from everything else in Louisiana. Males often look entirely dark until the light catches a purple crown and green throat; both sexes show a small white spot behind the eye.

Louisiana Hummingbirds at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

How many species of hummingbirds are in Louisiana?

Ruby-throated is the only species that breeds in Louisiana. Buff-bellied and Rufous are regular fall-and-winter visitors, and the Louisiana Bird Records Committee has accepted several more as genuine winter rarities: Anna's, Allen's, Calliope, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Broad-billed, and Rivoli's.

Are there hummingbirds in Louisiana in winter?

Yes — Louisiana is one of the best states in the country for winter hummingbird variety. Rufous is the most reliable winter visitor, Buff-bellied is regular in southern and coastal parishes, and any hummingbird seen between November and February is far more likely to be one of these than a lingering Ruby-throated.

Where in Louisiana am I most likely to see a wintering Rufous Hummingbird?

Our review of county-level eBird data (2016–2025) shows wintering Rufous concentrated in the south-central and southeastern corridor — Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans — which matches Audubon Delta's Winter Hummingbird Database naming the same parishes among the state's top spots for wintering birds.

How do I tell Ruby-throated and Buff-bellied Hummingbirds apart?

Size and bill color make it easy. Buff-bellied is noticeably larger and stockier than a Ruby-throated, with a soft buff-tan belly and a bright red bill tipped in black — no other regular Louisiana hummingbird has a red bill, so that alone is usually enough to identify it.

How do I tell Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds apart?

Often you can't, at least not by eye. Adult male Allen's shows a bronze-green back against a coppery tail and belly, while Rufous is typically solid copper — but some male Rufous also show green backs, and females of the two species are close to identical. The only reliable mark is the shape of the spread outer tail feathers, which usually takes a bird in the hand or a very sharp photo to check.

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