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how to draw a hummingbird

How to draw a hummingbird - a free hummingbird drawing guide

Learn to draw a detailed hummingbird step-by-step using pencil and colored pencils, practicing shapes, proportions, and wing motion to capture its pose.

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Photos of hummingbird drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a hummingbird

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How To Draw A Hummingbird (for young artists)

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, sharpener, colored pencils

Step 1

Lightly draw a small circle near the top of your paper to make the hummingbird’s head.

Step 2

Draw a slightly larger oval that touches and overlaps the head circle to make the bird’s body.

Step 3

Sketch a short curved line from the back of the body to show the direction the tail will point.

Step 4

At the end of that line, draw a fan-shaped tail made of 3 to 5 thin elongated feather shapes.

Step 5

From the front of the head circle, draw a long thin pointed beak that sticks out straight.

Step 6

Add a small round eye inside the head circle and leave a tiny white dot inside it for a sparkle.

Step 7

Lightly draw one long curved guideline above the body to show the raised wing’s motion.

Step 8

Lightly draw a second curved guideline below or behind the body to show the tucked or downward wing.

Step 9

On each wing guideline, draw the wing outlines as long curved shapes that end in feather tips.

Step 10

Add feather details by drawing short curved lines along the wings and tail to show feather layers.

Step 11

Trace over the final outer lines of your hummingbird with firmer pencil strokes to refine the shape.

Step 12

Gently erase the light construction lines and extra guidelines so only the clean hummingbird drawing remains.

Step 13

Color your hummingbird with colored pencils using bright colors and light shading to show roundness.

Step 14

Take a photo of your finished hummingbird and share your creation on DIY.org

Help!?

If I don’t have colored pencils, what can I use instead to finish step 13?

If you don’t have colored pencils for step 13, use crayons, watercolor paints, or markers and apply light layers to mimic the shading suggested in the instructions.

My wing shapes look uneven when I trace the final lines in step 12—how can I fix that?

If wings look uneven when tracing in step 12, go back and lightly re-draw the long curved wing guidelines from step 7 and compare both sides before firming up the outer lines.

How can I adapt this drawing activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children, pre-draw the small head circle and oval body and skip steps 7–11, while older kids can add detailed feather lines (step 11) and layered shading (step 13) for realism.

What are simple ways to personalize or extend the hummingbird project after step 13?

After coloring in step 13, personalize the drawing by adding a flower or feeder behind the bird, experiment with iridescent color layers on the wings, and then photograph your finished piece to share on DIY.org as in step 14.

Watch videos on how to draw a hummingbird

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How To Draw A Hummingbird

4 Videos

Facts about drawing birds for kids

🐦 Hummingbirds are the only birds that can hover and fly backwards thanks to a unique figure-eight wing stroke.

🍯 Some hummingbirds consume the equivalent of their entire body weight (or more) in nectar each day to fuel their high metabolism.

⚡ Hummingbird wings beat extremely fast—many species flap about 50–80 times per second while hovering.

✏️ Pencil and colored pencil techniques like layering and burnishing help recreate the shimmering, iridescent look of hummingbird feathers.

📐 Artists often begin with simple shapes (ovals for the body, circles for the head, triangles for the beak and tail) to get proportions right before adding details.

How to draw a hummingbird step-by-step

Start with light pencil sketches: draw a small circle for the head and an oval for the body, connected by a short neck line. Add a long thin triangle for the beak and a fan shape for the tail. Sketch wing gesture lines to show motion, then build feather shapes around them. Refine outlines, erase guidelines, add feather details and light shading to show form. Finish by layering colored pencils to recreate iridescent colors and highlights.

Materials needed to draw a hummingbird

You’ll need a range of pencils (HB for construction, 2B–4B for darker lines), a good eraser, and a sharpener. Use medium-weight sketch paper or a sketchbook and a blending stump or cotton swab for soft shading. A set of colored pencils with greens, blues, yellows, and metallic or white pencils for highlights works well. Optional: reference photos, a kneaded eraser, and masking tape to keep paper steady.

What ages is this hummingbird drawing activity suitable for?

This activity fits different ages with adjustments: ages 5–7 can trace simple shapes and color basic outlines, ages 8–10 can follow step-by-step proportions and practice wing gestures, and ages 11+ can refine details, shading, and color layering. Younger children may need adult help with sharpening and fine details. Choose complexity based on patience and fine motor skills, and allow each child to progress at their own pace.

Benefits and variations when drawing a hummingbird

Drawing hummingbirds strengthens observational skills, fine motor control, and understanding of proportion and motion. It teaches color layering for iridescence and patience with detail work. Variations include simplified cartoon hummingbirds, timed gesture sketches to capture wing motion, or adding watercolor washes beneath pencil work. For safety, use child-safe sharpeners and non-toxic colored pencils, and supervise younger children when using sharp tools or small accessories.

Ready to create?

All Activities

how to draw a hummingbird

How to draw a hummingbird - a free hummingbird drawing guide

Learn to draw a detailed hummingbird step-by-step using pencil and colored pencils, practicing shapes, proportions, and wing motion to capture its pose.

Table of contents

Drawing Apps

Photos of hummingbird drawing examples

Step-by-step guide to draw a hummingbird

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How To Draw A Hummingbird (for young artists)

What you need

Paper, pencil, eraser, sharpener, colored pencils

Step 1

Lightly draw a small circle near the top of your paper to make the hummingbird’s head.

Step 2

Draw a slightly larger oval that touches and overlaps the head circle to make the bird’s body.

Step 3

Sketch a short curved line from the back of the body to show the direction the tail will point.

Step 4

At the end of that line, draw a fan-shaped tail made of 3 to 5 thin elongated feather shapes.

Step 5

From the front of the head circle, draw a long thin pointed beak that sticks out straight.

Step 6

Add a small round eye inside the head circle and leave a tiny white dot inside it for a sparkle.

Step 7

Lightly draw one long curved guideline above the body to show the raised wing’s motion.

Step 8

Lightly draw a second curved guideline below or behind the body to show the tucked or downward wing.

Step 9

On each wing guideline, draw the wing outlines as long curved shapes that end in feather tips.

Step 10

Add feather details by drawing short curved lines along the wings and tail to show feather layers.

Step 11

Trace over the final outer lines of your hummingbird with firmer pencil strokes to refine the shape.

Step 12

Gently erase the light construction lines and extra guidelines so only the clean hummingbird drawing remains.

Step 13

Color your hummingbird with colored pencils using bright colors and light shading to show roundness.

Step 14

Take a photo of your finished hummingbird and share your creation on DIY.org

Help!?

If I don’t have colored pencils, what can I use instead to finish step 13?

If you don’t have colored pencils for step 13, use crayons, watercolor paints, or markers and apply light layers to mimic the shading suggested in the instructions.

My wing shapes look uneven when I trace the final lines in step 12—how can I fix that?

If wings look uneven when tracing in step 12, go back and lightly re-draw the long curved wing guidelines from step 7 and compare both sides before firming up the outer lines.

How can I adapt this drawing activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children, pre-draw the small head circle and oval body and skip steps 7–11, while older kids can add detailed feather lines (step 11) and layered shading (step 13) for realism.

What are simple ways to personalize or extend the hummingbird project after step 13?

Watch videos on how to draw a hummingbird

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How To Draw A Hummingbird

4 Videos

Facts about drawing birds for kids

🐦 Hummingbirds are the only birds that can hover and fly backwards thanks to a unique figure-eight wing stroke.

🍯 Some hummingbirds consume the equivalent of their entire body weight (or more) in nectar each day to fuel their high metabolism.

⚡ Hummingbird wings beat extremely fast—many species flap about 50–80 times per second while hovering.

✏️ Pencil and colored pencil techniques like layering and burnishing help recreate the shimmering, iridescent look of hummingbird feathers.

📐 Artists often begin with simple shapes (ovals for the body, circles for the head, triangles for the beak and tail) to get proportions right before adding details.