The Cornell Lab Bird Academy Discussion Groups The Wonderful World of Hummingbirds Hummingbird with the Most Extensive Range

    • Tyler
      Participant
      Chirps: 5
      The video about hummingbird superlatives mentioned the Black-throated Mango as the hummingbird with the most extensive range. That's sparked quite a debate in my local birders group in Costa Rica! I can see the argument for the BT Mango. I did a rough measurement using some online tools of the range per the range maps of the Mango and its range appears to be around 11 million square km. Some in the group affirm that it has to be the Ruby-throated Hummingbird instead. My (very rough) measurements again using the eBird range map came up with about 8 million square km for the range of the Ruby-throated. However there is quite a significant discrepancy between the range map and where the Ruby-throated has been reported on eBird. Even if we leave out the farthest western reports of the Ruby-throated but include some of the further north and west reports where the dots on eBird are continuous that gets it up to around 10 million sq km. It does end up looking like a much bigger range because of the map projection, but it also raises the question of whether a hummingbird's range should be calculated by its full extent or the fullest extent at one time. (Eg. calculating its winter and breeding ranges separately instead of cumulatively since it's not in both at the same time.) Also, what other hummingbirds might rank up there? Another possibility would be the Rufous-breasted Hermit which shares most of its range with the Black-throated Mango, it just doesn't go quite as far south.
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