Calypte costae
The Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae) is a jewel of the arid North American Southwest, captivating observers with its diminutive size and the male's dazzling iridescent plumage. Males are particularly striking, boasting a brilliant amethyst-purple gorget (throat) and crown that flares outward into a 'mustache' or 'point' on either side, contrasting sharply with their green back and pale belly. Females, by contrast, are much more subdued, with a dull green back and white underparts, sometim...
This species primarily inhabits arid, open scrubland, desert washes, chaparral, and dry canyonlands. It thrives in areas dominated by xeric shrubs and cacti, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Their diet consists predominantly of nectar from desert flowering plants and cacti, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. They forage by hovering at flowers or gleaning insects from foliage.
Costa's Hummingbirds are diurnal, highly active feeders, constantly visiting flowers throughout the day and often entering a state of torpor at night or during cold spells to conserve energy. They employ a trap-lining foraging strategy, visiting a regular circuit of flowering plants, and also haw...
The Costa's Hummingbird primarily breeds across the arid southwestern United States, including southern California, Nevada, Arizona, southwestern Utah, and extends into Baja California and Sonora in northwestern Mexico. During the non-breeding season, many populations move to lower elevations or ...
Least Concern
- The male Costa's Hummingbird performs an incredible 'J-shaped' courtship dive, plummeting from as high as 100 feet to impress a female. - Their iridescent purple gorget is not pigmented, but rather created by the structural arrangement of melanin granules that refract light. - To survive cold d...