Birds of Texas

Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) 3 ¾”

(Click on picture to enlarge) 

© Walter Bauer, San Antonio, Texas (Spring 2000)

Field Marks: Male: Identified by the black throat and conspicuous white collar lower throat shows only in certain lights Female: Greenish above, whitish below.  (but make certain you see it!).  Cannot safely be told in field from female Ruby-throated.
Voice: Male in display makes a whirring with wings as it swoops back and forth in a shallow arc.  They do make a thin excited chippering, ”Song,” a thin high-pitched warble.
Range: Sw. British Columbia south to n. Mexico. Black-Chinned Hummingbirds winter in the country of Mexico.

Texas:  Summers in w. and cent. Parts; east to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio. Also migrant (Mar-May, Oct-Nov) through central coast and Brownsville.

Habitat: Semi-arid country, cedar-oak canyon sides, streams, flowering plants, and towns. We live in the Texas Hill Country amongst cedar groves.

Nest: A felt like cup in shrub or tree, often near water.  The eggs are white and they lay two.