Texas Hummingbird Roundup:
White-eared (Hylocharis leucotis)

White-eared Hummingbird
(Hylocharis leucotisi)
Artwork © 2005 TPWD

This stocky bird that is similar to the Broad-billed Hummingbird prefers higher elevations with pine-oak forests. They are also fond of border areas and of our gardens. Very sexually dimorphic, these birds have rounder heads, straighter bills and less deeply forked tails than do the Broad-billed Hummingbirds.

This bird is a Texas Bird Records Committee review species. All occurrences should be reported to the committee with detailed documentation to enhance our knowledge of this bird in the state.

Identifying Features (General):

• White supercillium (stripe above the eye) is always striking
• Round head
• Short orange bill tipped in black

Identifying Features (Male):

• Deep purple head, dark green body, dark square tail

Identifying Features (Female):

• Rows of green spots on flanks and breast
• Green gray central tail feathers
• Tail shorter, tipped in white