Plate No. 08Bird
Species Profile
Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus
The sound of summer in El Porvenir is the metallic trill of a male broad-tail's wings. They migrate from Mexico to nest in our mountains, hovering at every red wildflower they can find.
Habitat
Montane meadows, aspen edges, sub-alpine flowers
Diet
Nectar, tiny insects, tree sap
Size
3.5–4 in · 0.1 oz
Status
Summer breeder · arrives mid-May
§ Field Notes
Fun facts.
01
Wings beat about 50 times per second.
02
The male's wing feathers produce a metallic cricket-like trill in flight.
03
Survives cold nights by entering torpor — heart rate drops to 50 bpm.
04
Migrates over 2,000 miles each year between Mexico and the Rockies.
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Pronghorn
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Sasquatch