Broad-billed Hummingbird

This is a great occasion as this is a rare bird sighting for New Mexico! This juvenile female Broad-billed Hummingbird has been visiting an Aldea resident’s yard for the past two weeks. It is important to note that it is attracted to specific flowers and not a hummingbird feeder. Range maps show that the only place in New Mexico where a Broad-billed could possibly be found was in extreme southwest part of the state and only during migration. Maybe migration patterns are changing and this species is moving slightly north?

The plants it was visiting are Raspberry Delight Hybrid Bush Sage, Salvia Raspberry Delight, and Black and Blue Salvia, among others. Note: I will be planting these plants in my yard next year and encourage other Aldea residents to also plant them.

The only other authenticated sighting was mid-November 2012 in Eldorado. Both that sighting and this one here in Aldea have been confirmed by members for eBird since it is so rare and the sighting really needed to be authenticated by more than a few people. So... this is official! 

I am delighted to post photos taken here in the Aldea yard of the sighting. Shout out to the advanced Aldea birders for being such vigilant observers and downright enthusiastic birders!

Of note — on cold nights hummingbirds can slow down their heart rates and metabolism to enter a temporary state of hibernation called torpor. This allows the hummingbird to save precious energy demanded by its high rate of metabolism. It is also interesting to note that early ornithologists assumed hummingbirds were too small to fly long distances and it was thought they rode on the backs of geese and other large birds. It is now well-documented that some hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico to migrate without stopping.

Destruction of habitat in South America is threatening hummingbirds and some species are now in the vulnerable and endangered status categories.

A group of hummingbirds are known as a “bouquet”, “glittering”, “hover”, “shimmer” or “tune”.

Click on photos to enlarge.
Photo 1: Courtesy of and copyright by Bernard Foy
Photos 2, 3, 4 : Courtesy of and copyright by Jonathan Batkin