Buff-Bellied Hummingbird
Amazilia yucatanensis
The Buff-Bellied Hummingbird does not stray far from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. From southern Texas south to the Yucatan Peninsula, they are nonmigratory members of the avian community. In summer, some of these birds extend their range around to the central and eastern shores of Texas and Louisiana.
To my eye, the red bill of this bird reminded me of the Broad-Billed Hummingbirds I have seen in Arizona. But in Texas the Broad-Billed would be completely out of range, so I had to rule that bird out. After a little research I learned the most common winter hummingbird in south Texas is the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird. There does not seem to be much to distinguish the males from the females of this species. But the female’s upper bill is dark and observers describe her as less colorful.
Today’s science recognizes three subspecies of Buff-Bellied Hummingbird; two of which we find in south Texas:
- A. y. chalconota lives in south Texas and northeastern Mexico.
- A. y. cerviniventris lives in eastern Mexico, south to Veracruz, Puebla, and Chiapas.
- A. y. yucatanensis lives in southeast Mexico, northern Belize and Guatemala. Part of their population winters along Gulf Coast of Texas.
After my first visit to south Texas in 2020, I left wishing I had gotten better acquainted with this species. That opportunity came when I returned to Texas in 2021.
16 Photos
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: The southern Texas coast is one of the few places north of Mexico where the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird is a year-round resident. This bird enjoyed the nectar offered in the camp where I spent April in Brownsville. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:25 18:36 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D507699-Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: The southern Texas coast is one of the few places north of Mexico where the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird is a year-round resident. This bird enjoyed the nectar offered in the camp where I spent April in Brownsville. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:25 18:36 |
|
Location:
Breeze Lake |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D507706-Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: The southern Texas coast is one of the few places north of Mexico where the Buff-Bellied Hummingbird is a year-round resident. This bird enjoyed the nectar offered in the camp where I spent April in Brownsville. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:25 18:36 |
|
Location:
Breeze Lake |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D507715-Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: When first I saw this bird I thought it was a Broad-Billed Hummingbird, but further study showed me that bird would be in Arizona, not Texas. Then I realized I'd met my first Buff-Bellied Hummingbird. I found these birds at a well stocked feeder in camp where I stayed in Brownsville Texas. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:17 11:18 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D502759-Breeze-Lake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: Buff-Bellied Hummers remain year-round in south Texas. It was ten days earlier when I paid my first visit to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville Texas. I tried to explore trails I missed last time here. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:28 8:51 |
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Location:
Sable Palms Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D5X5230-SabalPalms |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are present year-round in south Texas, including here at the Laguna Vista Nature Trail. I spent the day in Laguna Vista and Laguna Atascosa Thursday. I didn’t find any unusual birds, but I enjoyed those that I met. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:04 10:23 |
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Location:
Laguna Vista |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D5X7962-LagunaVista-TX |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are present year-round in south Texas, including here at the Laguna Vista Nature Trail. I spent the day in Laguna Vista and Laguna Atascosa Thursday. I didn’t find any unusual birds, but I enjoyed those that I met. |
Date Taken: 2021:02:04 10:23 |
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Location:
Laguna Vista |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D5X7958-LagunaVista-TX |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: Hummingbirds joined in on the migration. This weekend provided the “perfect storm” for a warbler fallout on South Padre Island; a cold north wind, rain, and a ton of birds trying to head north. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:17 17:36 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/30 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_D5X7864-SPI_ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: The Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds I met at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands hovered over the flowers in their territory, and defended their little patches of paradise. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:19 14:26 |
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Location:
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8504742-EdinburgScenicWetlands |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are the most common hummingbird in south Texas. Here at the National Butterfly Center in Mission Texas, they seem to have a year-round presence. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:25 9:13 |
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Location:
National Butterfly Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8506309-NationalButterflyCenter |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are the most common hummingbird in south Texas. Here at the National Butterfly Center in Mission Texas, they seem to have a year-round presence. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:24 18:44 |
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Location:
National Butterfly Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8506188-NationalButterflyCenter |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are the most common hummingbird in south Texas. Here at the National Butterfly Center in Mission Texas, they seem to have a year-round presence. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:24 18:12 |
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Location:
National Butterfly Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8506031-NationalButterflyCenter |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds are the most common hummingbird in south Texas. Here at the National Butterfly Center in Mission Texas, they seem to have a year-round presence. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:24 17:57 |
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Location:
National Butterfly Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8505974-NationalButterflyCenter |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
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Description: The Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds I met at Quinta Mazatlan hovered over the flowers in their territory, and defended their little patches of paradise. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:20 11:37 |
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Location:
Quinta Mazatlan |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8505316-QuintaMazatlan |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: The Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds I met at Quinta Mazatlan hovered over the flowers in their territory, and defended their little patches of paradise. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:20 11:37 |
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Location:
Quinta Mazatlan |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8505309-QuintaMazatlan |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Buff-Bellied Hummingbird(Amazilia yucatanensis) |
|
Description: The Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds I met at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands hovered over the flowers in their territory, and defended their little patches of paradise. |
Date Taken: 2022:09:19 14:37 |
|
Location:
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands |
|
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BuffBelliedHummingbird_8504779-EdinburgScenicWetlands |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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