Amazilia yucatanensis
The Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis) is a vibrant and conspicuous species, immediately identifiable by its iridescent green upperparts, distinct buff-colored belly and flanks, and a striking straight, coral-red bill tipped with black. Its tail is a rich rufous or chestnut, often slightly forked, providing another key field mark. Averaging about 10-11 cm (4-4.5 inches) in length and weighing a mere 4-5 grams (0.14-0.18 ounces), it is a medium-sized hummingbird with a robust bui...
Found primarily in semi-open woodlands, forest edges, riparian corridors, and suburban gardens, often at low to moderate elevations.
Mainly nectar from a variety of tubular flowers, supplemented by small insects and spiders for protein.
Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are highly active and diurnal, spending their days intensely foraging and defending prime feeding territories. They employ a 'trap-lining' foraging strategy, visiting a circuit of flower patches, as well as hawking small insects directly from the air or gleaning them fro...
The Buff-bellied Hummingbird's primary breeding range extends from the lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, south along the Gulf and Caribbean coasts of Mexico, through the Yucatán Peninsula, Belize, and northern Guatemala. It is largely a resident species throughout this core range, inhabitin...
Least Concern
- The Buff-bellied Hummingbird is the only species in the diverse *Amazilia* genus that regularly breeds within the United States, primarily in South Texas. - Despite its small size, it can be fiercely territorial, often seen chasing away much larger birds, including hawks, from its preferred fee...