Rivoli’s Hummingbird

Eugenes fulgens

From the mid-1980s until recently, this bird was called the Magnificent Hummingbird. When this species was first described in the late 1820s, the name given to it was Rivoli’s Hummingbird. Once again, reviving the old name. I wonder what name the people of the first nations gave to this species!

These birds are rarely seen in the USA. They breed from the extreme southwestern United States south through much of Mexico and Central America. In the USA, they breed in the mountains of southeastern Arizona. Included in their range are the Santa Ritas, the Catalinas, the Huachucas, the Chiricahuas, and the Pinaleno mountains (Mount Graham). Occasionally they are seen in extreme southwestern New Mexico.

Most modern research supports the view that the Rivoli’s Hummingbird is monotypic (i.e. no subspecies). But some authors claim E. f. viridiceps, living in southern Mexico and northern Nicaragua, is a valid subspecies.

Rivoli’s Hummingbirds are the second largest hummingbird found in the USA. Only the Blue-Throated Mountain-Gem (a.k.a. Blue-Throated Hummingbird) is slightly larger.

Range Map for Rivoli’s Hummingbird
Range Map

14 Photos

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