Broad-tailed Hummingbird

♂ Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus

The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a summer migrant in the subalpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains, and a year round resident in parts of Central America. While similar in characteristics to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the main distinguishing marks are the white chin and less luminous throat. In order to survive the cold nights, many small animals including hummingbirds, such as the Broad-tailed, enter a state of torpor. Torpor is a state of energy conservation characterized as a reduction in metabolism and lowered body temperature, sometime referred to as temporary hibernation. A number of factors can play a role in torpor offset, duration, and frequency.