Animal Facts

Native to and wintering in Mexico and Northern Central America, and seldom seen in the US even within their small range in the Chiricahua and Huachuca Mountains of Arizona/New Mexico, these living jewels related to the much more frequently seen Ruby-Throated rarely breed in the US and are considered by some to be an accidental, non-indigenous species in this country. Though they weigh less than 5 grams (there are 28 grams in an ounce!), these tiny creatures, like most hummers, are highly aggressive, often chasing much larger birds away from their preferred perches in mountain canyons, in second- or third-growth oak woods, usually near running water.