The White-eared Hummingbird (Hylocharis leucotis) is a rare but regular occuring species of hummingbird in the U.S.  It is about the same size as our Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  It is primarily a Mexican species of hummingbird, but can be found in the "sky islands" of southeastern AZ and southwestern NM. 

                              © Rusty Trump 2005

Description:

Male: Green back with a bronze cast to the rump, forehead and chin are purple, throat is bluish green, broad white stripe that starts over the eye to about the nape, tail is black with the two center retrices green, bill is red with a black tip, center of breast and belly are white and the flanks are green.

Female: Green back with a bronze cast to the rump, head is green with a white throat with green flecks, broad white stripe that starts over the eye to about the nape, tail is like the males except it has white tips on outer tail feathers, bill has upper mandible black with the lower mandible red tipped with black, breast and flanks white with green flecks.

Distribution:

Observed in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico.