Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) are quite common here in southeastern Arizona from mid-April until mid-September. These migratory hummingbirds begin arriving here sometime in March and will have all departed for their wintering grounds in Mexico by the end of October.

Despite being common here in the summer, Black-chinned Hummingbirds are often overlooked because the males are our least colorful male hummingbirds.

In poor light, the iridescent and normally colorful throat feathers of a male hummingbird will often look dull and black, but the throat feathers of a male Black-chinned Hummingbird actually are a dull, sooty black, with only a thin, lower border of purple iridescence. This little bit of purple iridescence can be frustratingly hard to see, and the throat of a male Black-chinned Hummingbird usually appears to be a solid black.

Both male and female Black-chinned Hummingbirds are iridescent green above and whitish below with green sides and flanks. The females have a white throat.