Black-chinned hummingbird

The black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) is a hummingbird occupying a broad range of habitats.<ref name="Jackson" /> Its summer range is in the western United States and southwestern Canada. It is migratory, wintering as far south as Mexico. In sunlight, the iridescent purple gorget of the males is noticeable.

Taxonomy

The hybrid between the black-chinned hummingbird and Anna's hummingbird is called "Trochilus" violajugulum. The black-chinned hummingbird is also known to hybridize with Anna's,<ref name="Williamson" /> Lucifer,<ref name="Williamson" /> broad-tailed,<ref name="Williamson" /> and Costa's hummingbirds.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Description

The black-chinned hummingbird is Template:Convert long. Adults are metallic green above and white below with green flanks. Their bill is long, straight and slender. The adult male has a black face and chin, a glossy purple gorget, and a dark forked tail. The female has a dark rounded tail with white tips and no throat patch. Juvenile plumage is similar to that of adult females, but with buff margins on the dorsal feathers. Juvenile males may also possess purple feathers on their throats.<ref name=Baldridge1983/> Juveniles do not have a forked tail like adults.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Young are born almost featherless, but grow a complete set of feathers within three weeks of hatching.<ref name=Baltosser/> Juveniles begin replacing their feathers in November after migrating for the winter. They have a completely new set of feathers before their first year of age.<ref name=Baltosser/>

Similar species to the black-chinned hummingbird include broad-tailed hummingbird, rufous hummingbird, calliope hummingbird, Allen's hummingbird, lucifer hummingbird, Anna's hummingbird, and Costa's hummingbird.<ref name=Audubon/>

Status

This species has been labeled as a least-concern species <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> because of its broad range (Template:Convert), considerable population size and growth (14.6% increase per decade). Trend maps for black-chinned hummingbirds showed a relatively stable population between 2009 and 2019, albeit with some decline in late years of that decade.<ref name="English">Template:Cite journal</ref> File:Archilochus alexandri (Black-chinned hummingbird) vocalizations - pone.0027052.s003.oga

Vocalization

The vocalization of the black-chinned hummingbird is a rapid, high-pitched chirp.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Distribution and habitat

Black-chinned hummingbirds are found in most of the western United States, reaching north into Canada in Alberta and British Columbia, east to Oklahoma, and as far south as Mexico.<ref name=Jackson/> They can be found in mountains, woodlands, orchards, meadows, and chaparral habitats. Their breeding habitat is open, semiarid areas, usually near water in the western United States, northern Mexico, and southern British Columbia. They may inhabit moist environments like orchards, shaded canyons, and riparian woods.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The males and females of this species use different habitats from one another for breeding territories.<ref name="Berns2010" />

Behavior and ecology

Breeding

This species uses diving displays (Template:Convert dives) for territory defense and during courtship, producing an audible sound (a trill) as air passes through their feathers during the plunge.<ref name="Feo2010" /> In courtship, males perform "pendulum" display, flying back and forth in wide U-shaped arcs, making whirring sounds on each dive. They also buzz back and forth in short flights in front of perched females.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Black-chinned hummingbirds can exhibit territorial behavior around feeders as well as at other small feeding sites, becoming more defensive during breeding season. However, if there are numerous individuals in an area as well as multiple food sources, this species shows less territoriality.<ref name="Rusch1996" />

Feeding

These birds feed on nectar from flowers using a long extendable tongue or catch insects on the wing. While collecting nectar, they also assist in plant pollination.

Nesting

The female builds a well-camouflaged nest in a protected location in a shrub or tree using plant fibers, spider web silk, downy feathers and lichens. Black-chinned hummingbirds prefer to nest Template:Convert above the ground, often on exposed horizontal branches below the canopy. Research also suggests that they may purposefully nest near the active nests of larger, predatory birds, as a means of reducing nest predation; the larger predators do not prey on the hummingbird, but their presence will deter other birds that might be interested in the black-chinned hummingbird's eggs or newly hatched chicks.<ref name=Greeney2009/> The female lays two white eggs at a time, each about Template:Convert in diameter, and may breed 2–3 times per year, incubating the eggs for 13–16 days. She feeds the young by inserting her bill deep into their throats and regurgitating insects and nectar. The young fledge at about 20–21 days.<ref name=":0" />

Gallery

• 
  Male
• 
  Nesting female
• 
  Hovering female

External links

• Black-chinned hummingbird – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Template:BirdLife
• Template:Xeno-canto species