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Rivoli's Hummingbird

Hummingbirds SilhouetteHummingbirds
Rivoli's HummingbirdEugenes fulgens
  • ORDER: Caprimulgiformes
  • FAMILY: Trochilidae

Basic Description

A flash of purple crown and emerald throat makes for a magnificent hummingbird—and that happens to be a former name for Rivoli’s Hummingbird. These large, dark hummingbirds live in mountainous pine-oak forests and shady canyons between Nicaragua and the extreme southwestern United States. Despite its size, this species normally does not push around other hummingbirds at flowers or feeders. Instead, it “traplines,” traveling along a steady route between widely spaced patches of flowers, where it uses its very long bill to sip nectar.

More ID Info
Range map for Rivoli's Hummingbird
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
Explore Maps

Find This Bird

The best way to find Rivoli’s Hummingbirds is to visit feeders within their range—most birding lodges and B&Bs in southeastern Arizona have hummingbird gardens that attract this species in spring and summer. If you’re keen to find one away from feeders, visit the mountains in August and September and look for patches of flowering plants (especially ones with long, narrow flowers). Because this species travels widely during the day, it may take some time before one appears.

Other Names

  • Colibrí Magnífico (Spanish)
  • Colibri de Rivoli (French)
  • Cool Facts