Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris)

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) contain more than 300 species in 102 genera and this makes them one of the most numerous bird family of the New World birds. They are also endemitic for a given area. They appear from Patagonia almost up to Alaska. Their family contains the least birds in the world. Their members are characterized by a very intensive iridescent metal-like feather coloration, long and slender bills. Their short wings are not very movable due to their bone structure and then, they copy the eight in the flight (so-called whirlpool flight). Due to their very intensive and quick metabolism, during the night, they fall into the stage of torpor to balance their energetic costs. All this family is nectarivorous (i. e. drinking the nectar from the flowers). Most of the hummingbirds are also territorial and highly aggressive during defending their favourite flowers. In lots of them, including Broad-billed Hummingbird, a strong sexual dimorphism in colour can be found. Hummingbirds also built very small nests from plant materials in the branches. In most of the cases, only female incubates the eggs.



Broad-billed Hummingbird inhabit mainly dry areas of Central America and southern parts of USA. It is not a globally threatened species.