Hummingbirds are well known for their vibrant colors and iridescent plumage, ranging from shimmering purples to emerald green. But, which species of Hummingbird have blue feathers?
Below, you’ll find a list of 7 species of blue Hummingbird you can find in North America. We’ll look at their identifying characteristics, natural habitat, and give you some pointers on how to attract these beautiful birds into your garden.
Quick Answer
Looking for a quick-reference list of blue Hummingbird species in North America? Here are all seven:
- Rivoli’s Hummingbird
- Black-Chinned Hummingbird
- Blue-Throated Mountain Gem
- Green-Breasted Mango
- Mexican Violetear
- Broad-Billed Hummingbird
- Costa’s Hummingbird
Now, let’s take a closer look at each of these in more detail.
Rivoli’s Hummingbird
Measuring around 5.5-inches in length, the Rivoli’s Hummingbird is a relatively large Hummingbird species.
It can be identified by its dark green feathers, blue-purple crown, and gray underparts. Males also sport an iridescent, emerald green throat.
You’re most likely to spot a Rivoli’s Hummingbird in oak woodlands or pine forests, where they feed on small insects and nectar from tubular-shaped flowers.
They can also be attracted to backyards with an offering of sugar water placed in a Hummingbird feeder.
Resident to Central America and Mexico, the Rivoli’s Hummingbird is one of North America’s migratory Hummingbird species.
It can be found in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona throughout the summer months before heading back further South for the winter.
Black-Chinned Hummingbird
Another of North America’s migratory Hummingbird species, the Black-Chinned Hummingbird is native to Mexico, although some may remain resident in the Gulf Coast and Southern California all year round.
From March to September, they can also be spotted in most Western States.
You can identify the Black-Chinned Hummingbird by its gray underparts and metallic green back.
Females are slightly duller in color than males, and also sport white tail-feather tips while males have a purple-blue throat.
Both sexes are around the same size, measuring around 3.5-inches in length and with a 4-inch wingspan.
You can attract the Black-Chinned Hummingbird to your garden by filling a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar, and you can increase your chances even further by choosing plants with tubular-shaped flowers.
The Black-Chinned Hummingbird also feeds on small insects such as ants and gnats, as well as small spiders.
Blue-Throated Mountain Gem
As you may have guessed from its name, the Blue-Throated Mountain Gem is most easily identified by its bright blue throat.
However, this marking is only present in the male Blue-Throated Mountain Gem.
All other markings between the two sexes are identical though, consisting of bronze-green upperparts, gray-white underparts, and black tails with white tips.
While not very common in the United States, the Blue-Throated Mountain Gem can occasionally be spotted in Southwestern Texas and Southeastern Arizona.
Most remain resident in Mexico all year round, where their preferred habitat is mountainous woodland close to a source of water.
If you’d like to try and attract the Blue-Throated Mountain Gem into your backyard, your best bet would be to fill your garden with prolific-flowering plants that both produce nectar and attract insects for them to feed on.
You can also fill a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar. Keep an eye out for them in early morning or late afternoon too, as they tend to feed more during these times of the day.
Green-Breasted Mango
The fabulously-named Green-Breasted Mango is covered with iridescent, emerald-green feathers that span almost all of its body.
The male Green-Breasted Mango also sports a blue patch on the chest and a black throat that is surrounded with the same blue feathers.
Females have a white patch on the underparts with a vertical black line running through, as well as a few blue feathers mixed in with the black.
Native to Central America and Mexico, the Green-Breasted Mango is one of North America’s rarest Hummingbird species.
Most remain resident in South America all year round, although some have been spotted in Southern Texas along the SouthEastern border.
Wherever they decide to call home, the Green-Breasted Mango’s preferred habitat always remains the same; deciduous tropical forests.
Here they feed on small insects and spiders, as well as nectar from tubular flowers. Some may visit backyards close to these areas, especially those with plenty of flowers to feed from or with Hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water nectar.
Mexican Violetear
One of the most colorful species on our list of blue Hummingbirds in North America, the Mexican Violetear can be identified by its shimmering green upperparts and underparts, bright blue tail feathers, and darker blue patch underneath each eye.
A little larger than most other Hummingbird species, the Mexican Violetear measures around 4.5-inches in length.
You’re most likely to spot a Mexican Violetear in North America in Southern and Central Texas.
Outside of these areas, they reside in Central America, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Some have also been spotted as far South as Venezuela and Bolivia.
Like most species of Hummingbird, the Mexican Violetear feeds on the sweet nectar from tubular-shaped flowers, using their long tongues to reach deep inside and lap it up.
They also feed on small insects and spiders, and you stand a good chance of attracting the Mexican Violetear to your Texan garden with some sugar water nectar.
Broad-Billed Hummingbird
A common theme in the bird world, the male Broad-Billed Hummingbird is much brighter in color than the female.
He sports beautiful, glimmering green feathers on his back and iridescent blue feathers on the underside of his body. He also has black wings and a black tail, along with a black-tipped bright red bill.
The female Broad-Billed Hummingbird, on the other hand, has gray-white underparts and a duller-green back.
She also has a dull green head and the same black-tipped red bill as the male.
While resident in Mexico all year round, some Broad-Billed Hummingbirds may travel a little further North to New Mexico and Arizona during the summer months.
Some breed in these States as well, spending the months of March to September raising their brood in a small nest built close to the ground and placed near a stream.
If you’d like to spot a Broad-Billed Hummingbird in the wild, your best bet is to visit a mountainous area with meadowland or a canyon with a stream.
Here, the Broad-Billed Hummingbird feeds on small insects and spiders, as well as flower nectar.
You can also try attracting the Broad-Billed Hummingbird to your backyard by filling a Hummingbird feeder with sugar water nectar.
Costa’s Hummingbird
We round off our list with the Costa’s Hummingbird who, just like the Broad-Billed Hummingbird, has markings that differ between the two sexes.
The male Costa’s Hummingbird has a bright green back, paler green underparts, and a bright blue-purple throat and cap.
The female Costa’s Hummingbird is duller in appearance and does not have any blue markings. Both sexes are the same size, measuring around 3.5-inches in length.
You can find the Costa’s Hummingbird in Southwestern Arizona and Southern California all year round, and there is quite a large population of them in Baja California.
Here, and in all other areas, the Costa’s Hummingbird resides in deciduous forests and desert scrub.
They aren’t overly fussy eaters either and will feed from a variety of different plant species, which is likely why they have been so successful in these areas.
It’s quite easy to attract the Costa’s Hummingbird to your backyard with an offering of sugar water nectar, and you can increase your chances of drawing this beautiful bird in by planting flowering shrubs and vines.
Final Thoughts
There you have it – 7 species of blue Hummingbird you can spot in North America. It is worth noting that most of these are only ever found in Texas, Arizona, and California though.
But, if you’re lucky enough to live in these areas, then you may just spot one of these beautiful birds flitting around your garden!