There have been reports of as many as 27 different species of hummingbirds seen in the United States. Some of these are common can be found every year, while some are rare or accidental visitors. When it comes to hummingbirds in Utah, we have found 4 species that are common or semi-common, and 5 that have been spotted in Utah more than once but are considered rare. That’s a total of 9 species of hummingbirds in Utah, making Utah a pretty good state to see some of America’s hummingbird species.
9 Hummingbirds in Utah
Based on the range maps of authoritative sources like allaboutbirds.org and ebird.org, we’ve put together a list of hummingbirds that can be seen in the state of Utah. The most common Utah hummingbirds are black-chinned hummingbirds, broad-tailed hummingbirds, rufous hummingbirds and calliope hummingbirds. For each species in this list you’ll find the species name, pictures and specifications about appearance, and where and when you may be able to spot them. We will list the 4 more common species first, and the 5 less common 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. 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.
Look for black-chinned hummingbirds throughout Utah from spring to fall. Utah is one of only a few state’s where the black-chinned hummingbird will spend it’s summer breeding season.
2. Calliope Hummingbird
