Black-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
Summary 7
The Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) is a small hummingbird.
Distribution 8
The Black-Chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri, has the most extensive breeding range of all northwestern hummingbirds. It regularly occurs throughout western North America, from as far north as British Columbia south to northern Mexico, and from coastal California to central Texas, where its population is highest in density. During the winters, the Black-chin migrates to southern California, southern Arizona, southern Texas and Mexico (Peterson 1961; Gough et al. 1998).
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
Morphology 9
Black-chins are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the male and female look different from one another. As with other species of hummingbirds the male is the more brightly colored and distinctive than the female. The male can be identified by its black face. Its chin and upper throat area are also black, but the lower throat area is an iridescent blue-violet. This is bordered by a white collar below. The back and crown of the male is a metallic green color. The tail feathers of the male are black. The females have the same bright green back and crown, but differ by its green face, white breast and throat area with a few black spots. The female Black-chin also has white tips on the outer feathers of her tail. Both sexes have a white spot behind their eyes and a straight long thin bill. The Black-chinned Hummingbird is considered a small hummingbird, its length measuring 9.0 to 9.5cm. Females are usually larger than the males, they weigh on average about 3.5 g., the male average weight is 3.0 g. (Dawson 1923; Terres 1980).
Average mass: 3.1 g.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Habitat 10
Although Black-Chinned Hummingbirds are territorial, they are willing to share a desirable territory, as long as the food supply is abundant. The Black-chinned Hummingbird usually nests between 1-2.5m, (4-8 feet) high and often over water. In early summer Black-chins can be found at the bottom of foothill canyons. They will remain in the area until late summer when the food supply of flowers ends. Then, Black-chins will migrate to higher elevations, sometimes 1829-2591m to follow the late flower season. Black-chins also live in semi-wooded canyons, chaparral, and foothill suburbs (Terres 1980; Peterson 1961; Dawson 1923).
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; chaparral ; forest ; mountains
Migration 11
Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
Breeding populations in most of the United States move south into Mexico for winter. They depart California, Oregon, and Washington generally in September-October, and most are gone from Texas by mid-October. The species arrives in Texas and Arizona generally beginning in late February-March, and it reaches northern breeding areas by mid-May.
Banding studies in southern Arizona indicate that many individuals follow the same migration path in successive years.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/7457894@N04/3725900861
- (c) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Archilochus-alexandri-003.jpg/460px-Archilochus-alexandri-003.jpg
- (c) Mdf, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Archilochus-alexandri-002-edit.jpg/460px-Archilochus-alexandri-002-edit.jpg
- (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2288/3725900861_714441dc75.jpg
- (c) 2011 Robert A. Hamilton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=377522&one=T
- (c) 2005 California Academy of Sciences, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=162183&one=T
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archilochus_alexandri
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31378687
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31378689
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31378688
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28951952
