Rare Hummingbird Spotted at Colorado Springs Feeder

A Mexican violetear recorded on October 17, 2026 could become only the third confirmed sighting of the species in Colorado.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Bird Watching

A small iridescent green hummingbird with a violet throat hovers beside a red nectar feeder on a wooden deck rail, with pines blurred behind. — A rare Mexican violetear hummingbird was recorded visiting a smart feeder near Colorado Springs on October 17, which could be only the third confirmed sighting in Colorado. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

A Mexican violetear hummingbird was recorded on video visiting a smart feeder near Colorado Springs on October 17, 2026. The Colorado Bird Records Committee is reviewing the sighting, which would be the third ever documented in the state.

Why it matters

The species typically lives in mountainous regions of Mexico and Central America, so a sighting this far north is unusual for Colorado birdwatchers. Backyard feeders and smartphone cameras are helping document such rare visits that might otherwise go unrecorded.

The bird is green with blue-violet feathers on the sides of its head, and it was recorded on October 17, 2026, roughly 1,000 miles from its usual range. The Colorado Bird Records Committee has not yet confirmed the identification, so the record remains pending.

The players

Colorado Bird Records Committee

The Colorado Bird Records Committee is the body that reviews and validates rare bird sightings reported across the state.

The details

The bird was filmed visiting a smart hummingbird feeder near Colorado Springs, and the footage was submitted for review. Mexican violetears occasionally wander far north of their range, with some documented as far as Canada.

July 1998: First Colorado sighting near Durango.
September 2003: Second Colorado sighting near Conifer.
October 17, 2026: Recorded visit to the Colorado Springs feeder.

Legal Context

This sighting extends the two earlier Colorado records from Durango in July 1998 and Conifer in September 2003. Together these rare visits show how documented Mexican violetear occurrences in the state remain very few.

Backyard bird watchers in Colorado can use feeders and cameras to document unusual visitors that may be rare for the region. Reporting sightings with video helps the state's records committee verify them.

The takeaway

Hummingbird feeders and smartphone cameras can capture rare species far outside their normal range. Recording and reporting unusual visitors helps build the state's historical record of birdlife.