Where Do Hummingbirds Live
If you are an avid bird watcher, then “where do hummingbirds live” is a question that is bound to have crossed your mind at some point.
Their small size and ability to fly backwards make them unique among birds and one of the most sought after species by bird watchers around the globe.
Where Do Hummingbirds Live – Continental Range
Hummingbirds are native to the Americas, but different species are found in different areas of the continents. Their range is roughly from the southern points of Alaska down to the Tierra del Fuego at the southern most point in South America.
The widest variety of hummingbird species can be found in the Caribbean and tropical and subtropical regions of Central America. That is also where most breeds of hummingbirds migrate to mate, with the exception of the Ruby Throated hummingbird species, which breeds in North America. These hummingbirds tend to breed in the eastern US and in the Great Lakes region.
Distribution of species also plays a part in answering the question where do hummingbirds live. The following hummingbirds are most commonly found in North America:
- Allan’s
- Anna’s
- Berylline
- Black Chinned
- Blue Throated
- Broad Throated
- Broad Tailed
- Buff Bellied
- Calliope
- Costa
- Lucifer
- Magnificent
- Ruby Throated
- Rufous
- Violet Crowned
- White Eared
- Xantus
In South America, there are over 100 species of hummingbirds, including:
- Barbthroat
- Hermit
- Incan
- Purple Bibbed White Tip
- Violet Capped Woodnymph
- White Bellied
- White Necked Jacobian
Migration Patterns
During the winter months, most North American breeds of hummingbirds migrate to South America and the Caribbean. A few species from Canada and the northern parts of the US migrate to the southeastern US. Of the South American species, some of the hummingbirds in the northern part of that continent migrate to the Caribbean or to more southern parts of South America during winter.
In North America, migratory hummingbirds have generally moved south by October and begin returning around February. That pattern is reversed for hummingbirds in South America.
Habitats
You are most likely to find hummingbirds where there is food for them. Hummingbirds are similar to bees in that they feed from on the nectar in flowers. As such, hummingbirds play an important role in flower pollination. They use their long beaks to drink the nectar from the flowers. They are able to determine the sugar level of the nectar in flowers, and they will not eat any nectar that is less than 10% sugar. They also sometimes eat small insects.
Hummingbirds have extremely high levels of metabolism. They can beat their wings up to 70 times per second and can fly at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour (on average, they fly around 20 – 30 miles per hour). To keep up with their metabolism, they eat more than their body weight in nectar every day.
Because of their need for food, hummingbirds are attracted to areas with plenty of colorful flowers. When hummingbirds find an area they like, they usually return to it over and over again as a food sources. Often, hummingbirds build a nest, leave it to migrate and then attempt to return to the nest the next year. As long as the nest survives their absence, a hummingbird may return to the same nest for many years.
If you are interesting in hummingbirds living in your yard, you can easily create a hummingbird friendly garden. The Garden Helper has some advice about flowers that are likely to attract hummingbirds to your garden. In addition to planting flowers, you should provide areas of shade and trees where the hummingbirds can nest. They are particularly fond of willow tress and eucalyptus trees. A hummingbird feeder stocked with nectar will keep the birds in your garden by providing them a constant food source alternative to the flowers.