Birdsong field guide
Costa's Hummingbird
Calypte costae
A small, desert-dwelling hummingbird notable for the male's striking iridescent violet crown and elongated, flaring gorget feathers.
What it sounds like
A very high-pitched, thin, metallic 'tink' and a long, rising-and-falling thin whistle during aerial displays.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Field notes
- The male's iridescent purple throat feathers extend into long, pointed 'mustache' flares on either side of the neck.
- During courtship, males perform a high-speed U-shaped dive and produce a high-pitched whistle using their tail feathers.
- To survive cold desert nights, they can enter torpor, lowering their body temperature and slowing their heart rate significantly.
- They are early breeders, often nesting in desert scrub or cacti as early as January or February to coincide with winter blooms.
- Unlike most hummingbirds, they frequently prefer low-growing desert shrubs like Chuparosa and Ocotillo over tall trees for foraging.
Habitat
Arid desert scrub, chaparral, washes, and xeriscaped suburban gardens.
Range
Southwestern United States (primarily California and Arizona) and Northwestern Mexico (Baja California and Sonora).
Similar & commonly confused birds
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