Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
broad-tailed hummingbird
References
Images
Illustration of a broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) perched on a branch, showing its iridescent green back, red throat patch, and slender bill.
Britannica AI Icon

broad-tailed hummingbird

bird
Also known as: Selasphorus platycercus
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  EncyclopƦdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

Illustration of a broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) perched on a branch, showing its iridescent green back, red throat patch, and slender bill.
broad-tailed hummingbird Broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus).

The broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) is a relatively large hummingbird found in western North America. It is part of the Trochilidae family, which includes about 320 species of small, often brightly colored birds known for their rapid wing beats and ability to hover.12

Hummingbirds are native to the Americas, with the greatest diversity in South America. The broad-tailed hummingbird breeds in the western United States and Central America. Males of this species are similar to the ruby-throated hummingbird but possess a metallic reddish-purple throat.21

Hummingbirds feed on nectar and insects, using their specialized bills to access flowers. Their compact bodies and unique wing structure allow for exceptional aerial maneuverability, including hovering, flying backward, and straight up and down.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. broad-tailed hummingbird
  2. hummingbird
  3. reproductive behaviour - Birds

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.