Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird has surged: up 248% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the Broad-tailed Hummingbird
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) is a North American member of the Hummingbirds (Trochilidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 3–5 in long (8–13 cm) — a tiny hovering bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 361 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 11 states, most concentrated in the Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau.
- Family
- Trochilidae · Forest birds
Notable Broad-tailed Hummingbird Trends
Broad-tailed Hummingbird has surged in surveyed states: up 247% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Broad-tailed Hummingbird is projected to rise about 42% by 2029 — from 0.36 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.50 (95% range 0.34–0.67). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±55.9%, with 0% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.48 | 0.31 | 0.64 |
| 2026 | 0.48 | 0.32 | 0.65 |
| 2027 | 0.49 | 0.33 | 0.65 |
| 2028 | 0.50 | 0.33 | 0.66 |
| 2029 | 0.50 | 0.34 | 0.67 |
Where the Broad-tailed Hummingbird Is Detected
BBS routes recording Broad-tailed Hummingbird, sized by most recent count.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Population Trend by State
| Arizona | +1% | 1970 | 35 |
| California | -21% | 1976 | 4 |
| Colorado | -5% | 1970 | 107 |
| Idaho | +612% | 1985 | 12 |
| Montana | -3% | 1991 | 6 |
| Nevada | -57% | 1989 | 15 |
| New Mexico | -14% | 1970 | 44 |
| South Dakota | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Texas | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Utah | -41% | 1970 | 89 |
| Wyoming | +517% | 1977 | 41 |
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Great Basin | +666% | 1974 | 46 |
| Northern Rockies | +544% | 1974 | 52 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | +15% | 1970 | 204 |
| Shortgrass Prairie | +269% | 1975 | 12 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | -38% | 1970 | 25 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +119% | 1975 | 15 |
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 248% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.