Xantus’s Hummingbird
Xantus's Hummingbird
Basilinna xantusii
At a Glance
Related to the White-eared Hummingbird but resident only in Baja, this hummingbird is the most distinctive of the few Baja specialty birds. A female of this species once strayed north to Ventura, California, where it actually built a nest and laid eggs that did not hatch. Another once strayed all the way north to British Columbia.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Hummingbirds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Desert and Arid Habitats, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Behavior
Flitter, Hovering, Rapid Wingbeats
Range & Identification
Description
3.25-3.75" (8-9 cm). Very rare visitor from Baja. Male is mostly glittering green with wide white eyebrow, buff belly, reddish in tail, red bill with black tip. Female is duller, with buff extending up onto throat.
Size
About the size of a Sparrow
Wing Shape
Narrow, Rounded, Short
Tail Shape
Notched, Rounded, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
A low, fast rattle, also high chips (which appear to be a territorial warning).
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Xantus's Hummingbird