Yes, Oakland has hummingbirds … ever see or hear one of these tiny creatures and want to know more?

14 hummingbird species have been reported in California.

Native and Year-Round Resident Species

  • Anna’s Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) – the most common of all California hummingbirds
  • Allen’s Hummingbirds (Selasphorus sasin) – Native Breeders/Year-round residents – Historically, these birds nested in coastal California and wintered in Mexico; but more and more of them are remaining in California year-round or are traveling to the eastern United States for the winter.
  • Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) – Year-round residents

  • Blue-throated Hummingbirds (Lampornis clemenciae)

  • Costa’s Hummingbirds (Calypte costae) – Some are year-round residents and others are seasonal migrants – Common to abundant in Southern California; from San Diegan district northwest through Ventura County, and Colorado and Mohave deserts.

Migratory or Seasonal Species

Migrating hummingbirds might arrive as early as January or February and usually leave in October.

  • Broad-tailed Hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus) – Natives – Migratory hummingbirds. They migrate through eastern California and nest in central California in mountain forests and meadows. Move south to winter in Mexico, Guatemala and, occasionally, El Salvador.
  • Calliope Hummingbirds (Stellula calliope) – Natives/Seasonal Migrants – California Breeders – migrate south or east for the winter.
  • Rufous Hummingbirds (Selasphorus Rufus) – Seasonal/breeders – Arrive in their breeding territory in California around April and migrate south to Mexico and Central America for the winter

Species Rarely Seen in Oakland

  • Broad-billed Hummingbirds (Cynanthus latirostris) – Accidental/Vagrants – These mostly Mexican hummingbirds venture into the United States regularly; they mostly visit the southern parts – but a few vagrants travel as far north as Wisconsin.
  • Green Violet-ear Hummingbird (Colibri thalassinus) – Rare – They are mostly resident in Mexico and Central America, but some seasonal movements have been observed. They may wander north to the United States and even as far north as Canada.
  • Magnificent or Refulgent Hummingbirds (Eugenes fulgens) – Rare visitors
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) – Rare vagrants
  • Violet-crowned Hummingbird (Amazilia violiceps, ssp. ellioti) – Rare vagrants – occur primarily in Mexico and southwestern to south central United States. Outside the breeding season, they may wander to southernmost California and southwest Texas.
  • Xantus’s Hummingbirds (Basilinna xantusii) – Rare vagrants/breeders. This Mexican hummingbird has been venturing into southern California regularly and some nesting activities having been reported. Some travel up the Pacific coast of North America to British Columbia in Canada.

Source: http://www.avianweb.com/hummingbirdscalifornia.html

Anna's Hummingbird by studiodeb (SA-BY-NC)Anna's Hummingbird by studiodeb (SA-BY-NC)

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