Buff-bellied Hummingbird

The Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis) is a charismatic, relatively large hummingbird primarily associated with the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and eastern Mexico. Unlike many other North American hummingbirds, it does not strictly migrate south; instead, a notable portion of the population undergoes a unique semi-reverse migration in autumn, moving eastward along the US Gulf Coast as far as Florida. It is famous among birders for its bold, feisty personality and colorful, metallic plumage.

Identifying the Buff-bellied Hummingbird is relatively straightforward due to its distinctive combination of colors.

• Plumage: It features a brilliant metallic green head, back, and upper breast. The belly and flanks are a warm, sandy buff or fawn color, which contrasts sharply with the green chest.
• Bill: The bill is long, slender, and slightly decurved. It is bright reddish-orange with a distinctive dark black tip.
• Tail: The tail is rufous or coppery-bronze and slightly forked, often visible when the bird is hovering or defending territory.

Similar Species

• Rufous Hummingbird: Much smaller, lacks the bright red bill, and has rufous coloring on its back and sides rather than a cleanly demarcated green breast and buff belly.
• Broad-billed Hummingbird: Features a similar red bill, but has a dark blue-green throat and a dark, deeply forked tail with no buff on the belly.
• Berylline Hummingbird: A rare stray with a green belly and a more extensively rufous wing patch and tail.

The Buff-bellied Hummingbird inhabits semi-open brushy areas, citrus orchards, oak mottes, and suburban gardens.

Geographic Range & Migration

• Breeding Range: Primarily resides year-round from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas south along the Gulf slope of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, and northern Guatemala.
• Wintering Range: During the fall and winter, some individuals migrate northeastward along the Gulf Coast of the United States. They are regularly sighted in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and northern Florida, where they frequent garden feeders.

Aggression & Feeder Dominance

Despite its beautiful appearance, the Buff-bellied Hummingbird is notoriously aggressive. It is known to dominate nectar feeders, aggressively chasing away smaller species like Ruby-throated or Black-chinned Hummingbirds with rapid, hostile dives.

Vocalization

This species is highly vocal. Its typical call is a sharp, dry, clicking tsip or tchip, often strung together into a rapid, chattering series when defending territory or interacting with other hummingbirds.

Diet & Foraging

• Nectar: Feeds on nectar from a variety of brightly colored tubular flowers, particularly Turk's cap, shrimp plant, and honeysuckle.
• Insects: Aerial-flycatches small insects, gnats, and spiders, or gleans them directly from spiderwebs and foliage.

Nesting

Females construct a compact, cup-shaped nest on a horizontal tree limb or shrub fork, usually 1 to 3 meters above the ground. The nest is composed of plant fibers, blossoms, and spider webbing, decorated on the outside with bits of lichen and bark for camouflage.