Nongame and Texas boasts the most diverse avifauna in the Endangered United States and are no Conservation Fund exception. Eighteen species of hummingbirds PECIES have accepted records in Texas, including the S two most common species—Ruby-throated profiles and Black-chinned. In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. The Fund The Ruby-throated supports research, management, habitat (Archilochus colubris ) is the common acquisition, and dissemination of species of the eastern half of Texas and the information pertaining to nongame and entire eastern United States. In western Texas, endangered wildlife in Texas. you will most likely see the Black-chinned Hummingbird (A. alexandri ). These two species share much in common. Both To contribute to nongame and members of the genusArchilochus , the Black- endangered wildlife conservation chinned and the Ruby-throated, are so closely efforts, send your donation to: related that they are even considered to be representatives of the same superspecies by Wildlife Diversity Program some taxonomists. Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road The typical wintering range of these Austin, Texas 78744 hummingbirds extends from southern Mexico to Central America, including the islands of the Caribbean. By early March, most of these tiny neotropical migrants have begun their long journey back to their breeding Black-chinned Hummingbird grounds in Texas and the rest of North America, & their ranges extending well into Canada. 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

PWD BR W7000-310 (6/99) Ruby-throated Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Archilochus colubris SCIENTIFIC NAME: Archilochus alexandri SPANISH NAME: Mansoncito garganta de fuego – SPANISH NAME: Teciopelo barbanegro – “velvet PECIES “little fire throat” blackbeard” Sprofiles DESCRIPTION: Male – ruby-red gorget; metallic DESCRIPTION: Male – metallic green back and green upperparts; light gray underparts; forked crown with whitish gray underparts, black chin with brownish black tail.Female – outer tail feathers with purple throat band and white collar.Female – metallic white tips; rounded tail; metallic green upperparts; green back and crown, whitish underparts, and white Bibliography light gray underparts. throat with some black spots; outer tail feathers with white tips. AVERAGE LENGTH: 3 to 3.75 inches Chambers, Lanny. Hummingbirds! AVERAGE LENGTH: 3.33 to 3.75 inches http//www.derived.com/~lanny/hummers. SIMILAR SPECIES: Black-chinned – purple band beneath black chin;Broad-tailed – rounded tail, SIMILAR SPECIES: Ruby-throated – red gorget; Johnsgard, Paul. The Hummingbirds of North distinctively loud buzzing flight; more western Lucifer – decurved bill, without black chin America. 1983. Washington, D.C.: distribution Smithsonian Institute Press. RANGE: Western United States; common in western RANGE: In Texas, primarily found in the eastern half half of Texas with isolated reports in eastern half of True, Dan.Hummingbirds of North America . of the state with scattered reports from Trans-Pecos to state 1993. Albuquerque: University of New the Panhandle; only common hummingbird species LONGEST RECORDED MIGRATION DISTANCE: 930 Mexico Press. east of the Mississippi River miles from southeastern Arizona to near Manzanillo, LONGEST RECORDED MIGRATION DISTANCE: 719 Mexico Tyrell, Esther Quesada, and Robert A. Tyrell. miles from Grove, Oklahoma, to Carlton, Minnesota Hummingbirds: Their Life and Behavior. PREFERRED PLANTS: Honeysuckle, ocotillo, Texas 1985. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. PREFERRED PLANTS: Salvia, lantana, cardinal buckeye, Texas redbud, Texas mountain laurel, salvia, flowers lantana AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: Female– 3.5 years; Male – 2.5 AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: Female– 3.5 years; Male – 2.5 years years Credits PREDATORS: Hawks, domestic cats, snakes OLDEST DOCUMENTED AGE: 4 years and 9 months Text: Marisol Timm COURTSHIP DISPLAY: Pendulum-like flight pattern PREDATORS: Hawks, domestic cats, snakes facing the sun as to enhance the iridescence of gorget; COURTSHIP DISPLAY: Similar to Ruby-throated Production Management: Jereme Phillips, flies upward about 35 feet, then performs sudden high Madge Lindsay speed dives at 40 miles per hour with sudden stop; AVERAGE FLIGHT SPEED: 30 miles per hour, in repeating pendulum pattern panic or distress can reach 50 miles per hour Layout: Information Services Section AVERAGE FLIGHT SPEED: 30 miles per hour, in panic or distress can reach 50 miles per hour HIGHEST DOCUMENTED FLIGHT ALTITUDE: 300 feet