Vermont's documented hummingbird list holds at three species — fewer than neighboring New Hampshire (4), Massachusetts (6), and New York (7). Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only regular breeder, and it's a genuine dominant presence, accounting for nearly all hummingbird activity statewide. Rufous Hummingbird is a real, if scarce, documented rarity with records stretching back more than three decades. And Mexican Violetear is Vermont's newest addition — two accepted records, both within the last several years.

This page's job is identification and confidence — which hummingbirds you're actually looking at in Vermont, and how sure you can be about it.

All 3 documented Vermont hummingbird species, grouped by tier — statewide eBird data, 2016–2025, cross-checked against the Vermont Bird Records Committee's own accepted-record history.

The Hummingbird You're Most Likely to See

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Vermont's only breeding hummingbird, and the only hummingbird that breeds regularly anywhere east of the Mississippi River. It dominates the state's hummingbird activity almost completely — statewide eBird frequency peaks near 30% in early-to-mid August, roughly 250 times higher than the next most frequent species. The 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Vermont (2003–2007) confirms Vermont sits within the core of the species' breeding range, with most confirmations coming from direct nest observations. Returns in early May, gone by the end of September; occasional October stragglers, with the latest ever recorded on October 26, 1976.

Quick ID: Males flash a brilliant ruby-red throat in good light, but it reads as solid black most of the time — the forked black tail is the more reliable everyday mark. Females have a plain whitish throat and a more rounded, white-tipped tail.

Vermont's Documented Rare Visitor

Rufous Hummingbird

Genuinely rare here, with a real record history stretching back more than three decades. The Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC) has accepted 9 records, the first covering August 1–9, 1991, in South Starksboro (Addison County). VBRC codes the species plain "V" — Vagrant, meaning documentation is requested for any Vermont occurrence. The committee's own records describe the pattern directly: sightings are "scattered across the state and primarily occur in the fall migratory period." A real, if thin, fall signal shows up in the underlying eBird data too — statewide activity is essentially zero outside three weeks in late September and October, building to a small but genuine peak in Orleans County in early October.

Quick ID: Males glow with a fiery orange-red throat and a coppery-orange body — one of the most recognizable hummingbirds in North America. Females and immatures are green above with rusty flanks and rufous patches at the base of the tail.

Vermont's Newest Hummingbird

Mexican Violetear

Vermont's most recently confirmed hummingbird species, and one worth watching for a possible reclassification down the road. VBRC has accepted exactly 2 records — the first in 2021, the second on Grand Isle on July 21, 2024 — both tagged "V" for Vagrant like Rufous. What stands out is the gap: just three years between the two records, notably shorter than most two-record rarities in this project, which typically go a decade or more between sightings. If a third record surfaces, this species may move toward a more frequent-occurrence classification sooner than that usual pattern would suggest. 

Quick ID: A larger hummingbird than the rest of Vermont's list, glittering metallic green overall with a violet-blue patch across the breast and a violet ear patch — the field mark that gives the species its name. Sexes look nearly identical.

Vermont Hummingbirds at a Glance

Ruby-throated Hummingbird's dominance here isn't a close call — its statewide eBird frequency peaks near 30%, and every other documented species stays well under 1% at its own peak. With a gap that wide, a bar chart wouldn't show anything the numbers below don't already say plainly, so this section skips straight to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hummingbird species have been recorded in Vermont?

Three, per the Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC) — Ruby-throated is the only breeder, Rufous is a documented rare visitor, and Mexican Violetear has two accepted records. That's fewer than neighboring New Hampshire (4), Massachusetts (6), and New York (7).

How rare is Rufous Hummingbird in Vermont?

Genuinely rare — VBRC has accepted 9 records since the first in 1991, and every sighting requires documentation under the committee's "Vagrant" designation. Records are scattered statewide, mostly during fall migration.

Has Mexican Violetear been seen in Vermont more than once?

Yes, twice — the first accepted record came in 2021, and the second on Grand Isle in July 2024. That three-year gap is notably shorter than most two-record rarities in this project, which typically go a decade or more between sightings, so a third record wouldn't be surprising.

When should I expect to see hummingbirds in Vermont?

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds typically arrive in Vermont in early May and are gone by early October, with statewide activity peaking in early-to-mid August. Any hummingbird outside that window, or one that doesn't look like a typical Ruby-throated, is worth a closer look.

How can you tell Ruby-throated from Rufous Hummingbird in Vermont?

Color settles it fast. Ruby-throated males show a red throat and green back; Rufous males are almost entirely orange-red overall, unlike anything else expected in Vermont. Timing helps too — Vermont's Rufous records cluster in September and October, after most Ruby-throateds have already left.

Why We Created This Guide

Pop's Birding has been helping hummingbird lovers for three generations. One of the questions our customers ask most often is "what hummingbirds actually show up in my state" — we built this guide to give a direct, sourced answer, not a generic one. Vermont's short species list has its own quiet story most general references miss: Mexican Violetear's two records came just three years apart, a genuinely unusual pace for a species this rare, worth watching rather than filing away as a closed case. This page draws that distinction explicitly, using VBRC's own published record history.

How We Created This Guide

How we classify each species. eBird checklist data for Vermont, 2016–2025, pulled statewide plus six counties, cross-checked against the Vermont Bird Records Committee's own current checklist and Annual Reports. Tier and status here come from VBRC's own record-by-record documentation, not eBird frequency alone: Mexican Violetear generates zero eBird rows at all, consistent with just two total records, so its classification rests entirely on VBRC's published reports. Rufous Hummingbird's real fall signal — thin, but present across three distinct weeks rather than one artifact-prone spike — was checked directly against the committee's own "Vagrant" designation and 9-record tally before confirming Rare/Casual as the right tier.

Sources

• eBird bar chart data, Cornell Lab of Ornithology — Vermont statewide, 2016–2025.
• Vermont Bird Records Committee, Vermont Center for Ecostudies — source for every rare-species record count and status on this page.