There have been reports of nearly 30 different species of hummingbirds seen in the United States. Some of these are common and can be found in the U.S. every year, while some are rare or only accidental visitors. When it comes to hummingbirds in Oklahoma, we have found 2 species that are common or semi-common and 3 that are more rare. That’s a total of 5 species of hummingbirds that may visit Oklahoma.
5 Hummingbirds in Oklahoma
The 5 species of hummingbirds in Oklahoma are the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, and the Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
Based on the range maps of authoritative sources like allaboutbirds.org and ebird.org, we’ve put together a list of hummingbirds most likely to be seen in the state of Oklahoma. For each species in this list you’ll find the species name, pictures of what it looks like, specifications about appearance, and where and when you may be able to spot them. We will list the most common species first and the rare ones last.
Stay tuned at the end of the article for tips on attracting hummingbirds to your yard, and visit this article to find out when hummingbirds will be returning to your state.
Enjoy!
1. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scientific name: Archilochus colubris
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the most common hummingbirds in the eastern half of the United States, including Oklahoma. They have a green back and white underparts. Males have a ruby red throat that can look black in certain lighting.
Each spring they enter the country in droves from their wintering grounds in Central America. Many of them fly over the Gulf of Mexico in one non-stop flight! Ruby-throated hummingbirds are fairly easy to attract to backyards with nectar feeders and flowers.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds will start to appear back in Oklahoma from their wintering grounds starting in late March. They will spend the spring and summer and then be mostly gone by late October. The middle of Oklahoma is right along the far western edge of their range. Because of this, they are much more populous east of Oklahoma City.
2. Black-chinned Hummingbird
Scientific name: Archilochus alexandri
Black-chinned hummingbirds migrate north from Mexico and Central America each year and breed in the western United States. Males throat color looks plain black in most light, however they do have a small strip of purple feathers along the bottom that is sometimes visible.
Females appear like most hummingbird females green above and pale below with a plain throat. They are widespread among many habitats from deserts to mountain forests and like to perch on bare branches.
While they are a bird of the west coast, Oklahoma falls along the far edge of their range. Look for them in the spring and summer west of Oklahoma City. Outside of Oklahoma City, other popular areas to see them are around the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the far western edge of the panhandle.&