Hummingbirds are common in North and South America, but what about Europe? Are these birds found there as well?
There are no hummingbirds in Europe, as they are exclusively found in the Americas. However, primitive versions of the hummingbird did exist in Eurasia, and fossils of what appear to be hummingbirds can be found in Europe. Europe is also home to the hummingbird hawk moth, a hummingbird lookalike.
What Does Europe Have Instead Of Hummingbirds?
Instead of hummingbirds, Europe has a hummingbird hawk-moth that resembles a hummingbird at first glance.
These are most common along Europe’s coastlines, especially in the South. Europe was also home to hummingbird relatives in ancient history.
Identifying the Hummingbird Hawk Moth
The hummingbird hawk-moth is a grey-bodied moth with a black-and-white tail, grey-brown forewings, and brilliant orange hindwings.
It beats its wings rapidly like a hummingbird while feeding on nectar from flowers such as honeysuckle and red valerian.
You can hear the beating of its wings as an audible hum.
The hummingbird hawk-moth is a migrant. It spends April to December in the northern regions of Europe, then travels back down to the southern regions for the winter.
It’s smaller than even the smallest hummingbird, which is the bee hummingbird of Cuba.
The wingspan is just 2 inches, while the bee hummingbird is slightly larger with a wingspan of 2 ¼ inches.
Hummingbirds in Ancient Europe
Even though hummingbirds do not currently live in Europe, there is evidence that the ancestors of modern hummingbirds did live in Eurasia.
For this reason, you can find fossils of birds that appear to be close relatives of the hummingbird in Germany, Poland, and France.
These fossils range from 30 to 42 million years old.
Where To See Hummingbirds in Captivity in Europe
There is a long history of hummingbirds being kept in captivity in Europe and other places where they are not native.
In 1851, the Crystal Palace in London housed an exhibit showing more than 300 hummingbirds.
And drawing rooms throughout the Victorian era saw many showings of hummingbirds in addition to birds of paradise.
Today, the best way to see hummingbirds in captivity in Europe is to visit a zoo.
While they are not common to find, they do exist and can be discovered at European zoos with little research.
For example, the London Zoo is home to the rare Amazilia hummingbird, a native bird of Ecuador.
Which Regions Have Hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds live across North and South America.
Many hummingbird species migrate from North to South during the winter months and then return north for the breeding season.
In Africa and Asia, there are similar nectar-drinking birds, but they are not hummingbirds, but rather, relatives.
Hummingbirds can be found all the way out to the extreme ends of the American continents, including:
- The Rufous Hummingbird in Alaska and Canada in the North
- The Green-backed Firecrown Hummingbird in Chile and Argentina in the South
Hummingbird Ecosystem and Habitat
Hummingbirds are a diverse group that lives in many different ecosystems and habitats.
For example, some hummingbirds live in the forest, some live in the desert, and other species live on mountaintops.
All of these hummingbirds have a specialized bill-type beak made for reaching nectar from flowers.
Where To Find Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds can be found in gardens home to brightly colored, tubular flowers.
They are also attracted to areas with significant insect populations, as insects make up a significant part of their diet.
It’s common to find hummingbirds flitting around the edges of a forest or in flowering gardens.
If you want to attract hummingbirds, it is best to fill your yard or garden with the plants they like.
Common favorites include bee balm, trumpet vines, salvia, and cardinal flowers.
However, there are many flowers favored by hummingbirds, and it’s always best to choose a flower that’s native to your particular area.
You can also attract hummingbirds by establishing a nectar feeder and filling it with a sugar-water solution.
If you have a nectar feeder in place, you need only draw the hummingbirds to it with bright colors, and they’ll start coming to your yard routinely.
Most Common Backyard Birds in Europe
The following are the most common backyard birds across Europe. Of course, the birds you’re likely to see will vary depending on the region and time of year.
You’ll notice that hummingbirds are not included in this list.
- Tits (Blue, Great, Coal, Marsh, Willow)
- European Robin
- Eurasian Nuthatch
- European Goldfinch
- European Greenfinch
- Magpie
- Sparrows (House, Tree, Italian)
- Collared Dove
- Common Blackbird
- Common Wood Pigeon
- Common Pheasant
- Chaffinch
- Hawfinch
- Woodpeckers (Great Spotted, Middle Spotted)
- European Starling
- Warbler (Subalpine, Garden, Sardinian, Willow, Wood, Icterine, Spectacled, Ruppell’s)
- Common Whitethroat
- Blackcap
Nectar-Feeding Birds of Europe
Of the common European backyard birds, the warblers, Common Whitethroat, and Blackcap exemplify European nectar-feeding birds.
The dense sugar stores in nectar help these birds make it through long migrations.
To attract nectar-feeding birds to your yard, you’ll need to set out a sugar-water solution or perhaps grape jam or a piece of fruit.
If you’re looking to attract nectar-eating birds bigger than a hummingbird, make sure that you don’t invest in a feeder with small ports that keep them from accessing the food.
Instead, look for a feeder like the Twinkle Star Oriole Bird Feeder (available on Amazon.com).
This versatile feeder can hold multiple liquids and solid food sources, which is perfect for attracting nectar-eating birds.
Which Birds Are Unique to the Americas?
Many birds are unique to the Americas, including the Florida Scrub-Jay, the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, and the Salt-Marsh Sparrow.
Additionally, all hummingbird species are unique to the Americas. There are 2,059 bird species in North America, 94 of which are endemic to the United States.
In South America, there are over 3,000 species of birds, and about 33% of these are found in the Amazon rainforest.
Many birds migrate to South America during the winter months, while others spend the full year south of the equator.