- Because its primary range is in Mexico, it barely reaches the U.S., making the high-elevation "Sky Island" mountain ranges and shaded canyons of southeastern Arizona the absolute best place in the country to observe it
- The subspecies native to Arizona prefers cool, moist, pine-oak woodlands and riparian canyon bottoms, typically staying at elevations between 4,500 and 11,500 feet
=You can reliably find them at these top regional hotspots ...
=Cave Creek Canyon (Chiricahua Mountains): Located near Portal and Paradise, this area is widely considered the premier location in the country to spot them. They are a frequent sight at local feeding stations, such as the George Walker House in Paradise.
=Ramsey Canyon Preserve (Huachuca Mountains): Positioned just outside Sierra Vista—frequently called the "Hummingbird Capital of the World"—this Nature Conservancy site is famous for hosting these giant hummingbirds along its spring-fed streams.
=Madera Canyon (Santa Rita Mountains): Another reliable canyon habitat south of Tucson where they regularly visit shaded backyard gardens and public viewing feeders.
=Mount Lemmon (Santa Catalina Mountains): Though more sporadic here than in the southern mountain chains, they are regularly documented at higher-elevation conifer pockets and feeding stations on the mountain.