Discover 11 Species of Hummingbirds in Mississippi (ID and Pictures)

Hummingbirds can be seen across North America, but some places are lucky enough to see more species than others. Mississippi is fortunate enough to be home (at least temporarily) to 11 out of the most common 16 species.

Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or a casual observer, hummingbirds are exciting to watch for. They’re so brave, acrobatic, and brightly colored that they stand out from any other kind of bird.

Are you looking to fulfill your life list, or do you just love these unique birds? Either way, if you’re in Mississippi, you have lots of opportunities to see hummingbirds.

Here is the list of species of hummingbirds in Mississippi:

  1. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
  2. Buff-bellied Hummingbird
  3. White-Eared Hummingbird
  4. Anna’s Hummingbird
  5. Rufous Hummingbird
  6. Calliope Hummingbird
  7. Black-Chinned Hummingbird
  8. Allen’s Hummingbird
  9. Broad-Billed Hummingbird
  10. Mexican Violetear
  11. Broad-Tailed Hummingbird

11 Types of Hummingbirds in Mississippi

Hummingbirds visit every part of North America, but Mississippi is lucky enough to see some species that usually only live in Mexico. Here are the 11 species to watch for:

1. Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Ruby Throated Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Archilochus colubris
  • Size: 2.8-3.5 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1-.02 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 3.1-4.3 inches

Say “hello” to the most common – by far – hummingbird in all of Mississippi. In fact, this is the only breeding hummingbird in the eastern part of North America, and the only non-migratory hummingbird in the state.

The male birds are easy to identify by their bright red throats. If you notice a bird that looks somewhat like a ruby-throated, but the throat looks dark red, it’s likely just because the feathers aren’t in good light. Wait until the sunlight hits them, and you’ll see that shining bright throat.

Otherwise, these birds are emerald or golden-green on their backs and grayish-white on the underside. The beaks are black.

These bold birds are frequent visitors to feeders and if you have the chance to watch their antics, take it. They are incredibly agile. They can stop instantly in the air, hover up, down, side-to-side, and backward. Not only do they feed at feeders and in tubular flowers, but they’ll snatch insects out of the air or from webs, as well.

These generalists live in parks, gardens, backyards, meadows, fields, forests, and woodlands.

They fly away in the fall to winter in Central America and they actually fly across the Gulf of Mexico in one single flight without stopping. Very impressive! 

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only non-migratory hummingbirds in Mississippi. 

You can see them most often during the breeding season in all of Mississippi, which takes place from March to February, but they might be found any time of year.

2. Buff-Bellied Hummingbird

Buff Bellied Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Amazilia yucatanensis
  • Size: 3.9-4.3 inches long
  • Weight: 0.14-0.18 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 5.75 inches

Buff-bellied hummingbirds don’t live in Mississippi. They primarily live along the Gulf Coast, with permanent colonies in Mexico and parts of South America, and migrant breeding populations in Mississippi, Mississippi, and Alabama. Every so often, they’ll venture up to Mississippi.

These birds have bright red bills with black tips and buff bellies, which sets them apart from other hummingbirds. When the sun hits their throats, you can see the bright blue-green feathers glisten and shine.

It mostly lives in desert landscapes and will visit suburban yards, especially if there is a feeder present. It uses its long tongue to lap sap out of flowers and feeders, but it’s also known to snatch insects out of the air when it gets the chance.

Because it’s larger than many other hummingbirds, it can use its size to drive off competition. You’ll often see it chasing away other hummingbirds.

This bird only breeds in Mississippi, and it’s actively nesting and raising its young from March until August.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

These birds start arriving in the fall and stick around through May. They’re rare and have only been seen a few times in the past decade.

3. White-Eared Hummingbird

White-eared Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Hylocharis leucotis
  • Size: 3.75 inches long
  • Weight: 0.12 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4 inches

These hummingbirds are easy to distinguish from other species because both the males and females have a white ear stripe. The males are emerald green with a purple crown and a blue-green chin. Their bills are red with a black tip. Females, on the other hand, are green with black breasts, and green streaks on their sides.

While they generally stick to their native home in the mountains of Mexico, they will venture north to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mississippi. They eat insects and nectar from tubular flowers.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

White-eared hummingbirds are exceptionally rare. They’ve only been positively identified a few times in the past few decades.

4. Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird perching on a bird feeder
  • Scientific name: Calypte anna 
  • Size: 3.9 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1-0.2 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.7 inches

If you live along the Pacific coast, then no doubt you’ve seen the stunning Anna’s hummingbird. They’re one of the most common species in the region and they live there all year long. They’ll also travel inland a bit during the breeding season and some will migrate to Mexico during the non-breeding season.

Look for greenish-gray birds with iridescent feathers. Males have reddish-pink chins and heads.

When they’re breeding, the males will swoop down up to 130 feet, making a buzzing noise with their tail feathers in an attempt to impress the females.

These birds are bold and curious and will come right up to humans to check them out. They’ll eat at feeders, snatch insects, and suck the sap of tubular flowers.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

If you live in Mississippi, it’s the non-breeding season of winter that you might be able to spot them. They’re an accidental visitor that has only been spotted rarely.

5. Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Selasphorus rufus
  • Size: 2.8-3.5 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1-.02 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.3 inches

Rufous means “reddish,” and that’s what these birds are. When the sunlight hits them, they glow like a lump of burning coal, with a reddish back and a vivid red throat. The females have a little bit of green on their tails and flanks, plus a little spot of orange on their throats.

Even though these birds might just be visiting an area as they migrate, they’re fierce defenders of the area they are in. They will tirelessly chase off any hummingbird that dares come near. They’ll even chase off bigger birds of other species and they’ll dive-bomb humans who come too close to their feeder or nest.

Like ruby-throated hummingbirds, they’re incredibly agile and will feed from feeders and tubular flowers, as well as snatch insects from the air or spider webs. They live in backyards, forests, meadows, and parks. 

In the spring, they leave for their breeding grounds on the west coast, where they stay from April to July.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

These hummingbirds aren’t super common in Mississippi anymore. They’re becoming near-threatened. Look for them from November until April.

6. Calliope Hummingbird

Calliope Hummingbird
Calliope hummingbird on the fuchsia flowers
  • Scientific name: Selasphorus calliope
  • Size: 2.8-3.9 inches long
  • Weight: 0.07-0.1 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.3 inches

Calliope hummingbirds are very rare in Mississippi, but you might get lucky and see one of these non-natives to the state. They’re far more common in the Pacific Northwest, California, parts of the west, and Canada.

They breed in western Canada, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and parts of Utah and they spend the non-breeding season in Mexico.

The males of these beautiful birds have magenta feathers on their throats and both females and males have iridescent green feathers on their backs. The male courts the female by diving in an acrobatic u-shape while making a buzzing sound with his tail feathers. They breed from April to June.

While they will eat from feeders, they tend to be a bit timider than some other hummingbirds. They aren’t afraid of other birds, though. They’re even known to chase away red-tailed hawks.

They’ll eat the sap from flowers, but they’re also fond of the sap on trees left by sapsuckers and they’ll also eat insects and spiders.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

These tiny birds, the smallest hummingbirds in North America, might arrive in the early fall and stick around until summer. They’re rare and accidental in the state.

7. Black-Chinned Hummingbird

Black-Chinned Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Archilochus alexandri
  • Size: 3.5 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1-.02 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.3 inches

Black-chinned hummingbirds get their name from the male birds’ black throats with an iridescent purple base. Females have pale throats, along with white tips on their outer tail feathers.

Some hummingbirds stand out because of their brilliant coloring, but black-chinned ones are just a bit more subdued. They only have a thin strip of iridescent purple on the chin, but otherwise, they’re dull metallic Creek with a dull grayish-white best. Females have pale throats, and males have black throats. Both have black bills.

These petite birds are frequent visitors to hummingbird feeders, where they dart in and out, taking deep sips. They also sit on top of telephone wires and treetops to survey their territory. If a wandering hummingbird tries to enter their territory, the original bird will chase them off. Males can even dive up to 100 feet at a time to defend their territory and show off to females during breeding time.

They live anywhere they can find a safe spot to nest, which makes them generalists. They might live in a forest, a desert, or in urban shrubs. Recent surveys show that their range has been shrinking, with populations in Mississippi to Wyoming becoming threatened.

Breeding season starts in the early spring, and they build their nests in April and May, with a second nesting period in July. The males court the females with dramatic diving displays, and they breed throughout western North America. They’ll also visit the Gulf Coast during the winter. They nest in the spring and are one of the more common hummingbirds to find in their native range.

These are frequent visitors to feeders, and they’ll snag any insects they find nearby, including ants that hang out on your feeder. They also eat the sap from flowers.

Hang a feeder in your yard to increase your chances of seeing them, and plant their favorite foods, including ​​tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), scarlet larkspur (Delphinium cardinale), and desert ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens).

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

Black-chinned hummingbirds visit the southern half of Mississippi during the fall and early spring during the breeding season. You can see them in the northern part of the state as well, but it’s super rare.

8. Allen’s Hummingbird

Allen’s Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Selasphorus sasin 
  • Size: 3.5 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.3 inches

With its bold, copper-orange throat and sides and green back, it’s easy to spot these cheerful-looking hummingbirds. They love to flit from flower to feeder and they snatch insects from the air as they fly.

They live in the chaparral of coastal regions from California to Southern Oregon, but these petite fliers are hardy travelers. They fly from their breeding ground all the way down to southern Mexico, where they hang out during the non-breeding season. They stay in Southern California year-round, as well.

Once in a while, they’ll venture along the Gulf Coast and may end up as far east as Florida.

They’ll eat at hummingbird feeders but they also love flowers and will dine on insects.

The females nest and raise their young from February to August, though non-migratory birds will nest in California from October through June.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

Look for this bright bird at any time of year. They’re a rare, accidental species.

9. Broad-Billed Hummingbird

Broad-Billed Hummingbird
  • Scientific name: Cynanthus latirostris
  • Size: 3.5 inches long
  • Weight: 0.1 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.3 inches

The broad-billed hummingbird makes Mexico and a few parts of the Southern US such as Arizona and New Mexico its home. It stays year-round in Mexico, but ventures further north during the breeding season.

This bird has a long, narrow, straight bill and a tail with a notch at the center, which helps you tell it apart from other species. They also stand out because of their shimmering green bodies and blue throats on the males. The bills are red with a black tip.

They eat insects as well as nectar from flowers and feeders.

These birds create their nests in mountain canyons and then head to higher elevations to forage after raising their young. The males court the females with a swooping display that has been compared to the swinging of a hypnotist’s watch.

There are five sub-species but only the magicus sub-species lives in the US.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

Broad-billed hummingbirds are so rare in the state that they’re still being reviewed by the Mississippi Ornithological Society, so if you see one be sure to report it!

10. Mexican Violetear

Mexican Violetear
  • Scientific name: Colibri thalassinus
  • Size: 5.25 inches long
  • Weight: 0.21 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 4.25 inches

Formerly known as the green violet-eared hummingbird, these are large for hummingbirds and can be nearly five-and-a-half inches long. Combined with their bright green bodies and violet streaks on the chest and cheeks, it’s easy to spot them as they flit about pine forests and roadsides.

They will visit birdfeeders, but they like to stay hidden as they eat, so if your feeder is out in the open they might not hang out much.

Their populations are concentrated in the southwest US and all of Mexico down through parts of Central America, but these birds are wanderers. You’ll find them as far north as Canada and occasionally across the midwest and Atlantic Coast. They also visit Mississippi now and then.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

Look for these pretty hummingbirds in Mississippi at any time of year. They’re extremely rare and have only been seen in the state a few times.

11. Broad-Tailed Hummingbird

  • Scientific name: Selasphorus platycercus
  • Size: 3.3-3.8 inches long
  • Weight: 0.13 ounces 
  • Wingspan: 5.25 inches

The broad-tailed hummingbird is easy to confuse with the ruby-throated hummingbird. They look extremely similar.

These birds mostly live throughout the Rocky Mountains in high mountain meadows. Because they live in regions that experience hot days and cold nights, they’ve adapted by slowing their heart rate and lowering their body temperature at night and then ramping back up during the day when the sun rises.

They love to visit feeders or visit pendulous flowers to suck the nectar. Watch out, though. They’re extremely aggressive and will chase off any birds that come into their area.

When Do They Arrive In and Leave Mississippi?

You’ll probably see them in Mississippi during the winter from October to April, but they’re an accidental, rare species so they might be difficult to see.

How to Attract Hummingbirds

To attract hummingbirds to your yard, pick feeders that have a little perch so you can observe them holding still as well as in flight.

Contrary to common belief, the feeder doesn’t have to be red. These birds don’t care about the color, they just want a nice meal. You can grab a beautiful feeder with perches from Bolite. Don’t die the nectar, either. Clear nectar is totally fine.

You can also use pre-made nectar to attract them. Just be sure to change the nectar frequently and wash the feeder out with hot water and soap. When it’s really hot, you should change your feeder daily. During cooler weather, once a week is fine.

Feeders left uncleaned develop a mold that can kill hummingbirds.

You should also plant stuff like firebush, fuchsia, honeysuckle, trumpet vine, and powder puff trees. Hummingbirds love these.

Other Species of Birds in Mississippi:

Woodpeckers in Mississippi

Owls in Mississippi

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