Black-chinned Hummingbird Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlack-chinned Hummingbird
Female/immature male
Females/immatures are dull metallic green above with a whitish throat and underparts. Note white tips on outer tail feathers.
© Marky Mutchler / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, July 14, 2020Adult male
Perches on exposed twigs to survey territory and chase off intruders. Often returns to these perches over and over.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 23, 2008Not all videos have sound
Adult male
Fairly long and slender hummingbird with a long black bill. Adult males have a purple throat that often looks black. Note white spot behind the eye.
© Jim Merritt / Macaulay LibraryColorado, August 01, 2020Female/immature male
Females/immatures have whitish underparts with some dull metallic green on the flanks. The outer tail feathers are tipped in white.
© Mason Maron / Macaulay LibraryWashington, August 19, 2020Adult male
Slender hummingbird with a straight black bill. Adult males have a purple band in the throat that most often appears black.
© Christopher Lindsey / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 31, 2020Female/immature male
Females/immatures are dull metallic green above with whitish underparts. Perched birds often show a pale collar.
© Marky Mutchler / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, July 02, 2020Habitat
Found in lowland deserts and mountainous forests in natural habitats as well as very urbanized areas as long as there are tall trees and flowering shrubs and vines.
© Laura Dow / Macaulay LibraryTexas, May 30, 2015Similar SpeciesAnna's Hummingbird
Adult male
Adult male Anna's Hummingbirds have a red crown, whereas adult male Black-chinned Hummingbirds have a green crown.
© Kyle Blaney / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 02, 2013Similar SpeciesAnna's Hummingbird
Female/immature male
Female/immature male Anna's are difficult to separate from female/immature Black-chinned. Anna's often appear plumper than the more slender Black-chinned with a shorter bill. Most Anna's also have a red spot on the throat that Black-chinned lack.
© Ryan O'Donnell / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 31, 2016Similar SpeciesRuby-throated Hummingbird
Adult male
Adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds look similar to adult male Black-chinned Hummingbirds, especially in poor light, but Ruby-throated have a red throat and Black-chinned Hummingbirds have purple throat.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 21, 2015Similar SpeciesRuby-throated Hummingbird
Female
Where their ranges overlap, look carefully at the tail on perched birds. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have a longer tail that extends beyond the wingtips, whereas Black-chinned Hummingbirds have longer wings that reach the tip of the tail or go only slightly beyond it.
© Cathy Pondelicek / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, September 28, 2015Similar SpeciesCosta's Hummingbird
Adult male
Adult male Costa's Hummingbirds have a longer and more flared gorget than adult male Black-chinned Hummingbirds.
© Gordon Karre / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 06, 2017Similar SpeciesCosta's Hummingbird
Female
Female Costa's and Black-chinned Hummingbirds are difficult to separate where they overlap, but note slight size differences. Costa's Hummingbirds are slightly smaller with a shorter bill than Black-chinned Hummingbirds.
© Herb Elliott / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 28, 2016Similar SpeciesLucifer Hummingbird
Male
The bill on Lucifer Hummingbirds is more strongly curved than it is on Black-chinned Hummingbirds.
© Thomas Dorazio / Macaulay LibraryArizona, August 13, 2013Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Hummingbirds(Order: Caprimulgiformes, Family: Trochilidae)
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