Costa's hummingbird

The Costa's Hummingbird is very small, a mature adult growing to only 3 to 3½ inches in length. The male Costa's has a mainly green back and flanks, a small black tail and wings, and patches of white below their gorgeted throat and tail. The male Costa's Hummingbird's most distinguishing feature is its vibrant purple cap and throat with the throat feathers flaring out and back behind its head. The female Costa's Hummingbird is not as distinct as the male, having grayish-green above with a white underbelly.

The Costa's hummingbird is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Costa's Hummingbird is a desert species restricted to the far southwest and retreating just south of the border in winter months. Adult males have an extravagant loop and dive display that tells other birds its species and fitness. Its total distribution in both breeding and nonbreeding seasons is small. This, combined with widespread habitat destruction and alteration, has landed this bird on the Audubon WatchList. More

The Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae) is a species of hummingbird. The Costa's Hummingbird is very small, a mature adult growing to only 3 to 3½ inches in length. The male Costa's has a mainly green back and flanks, a small black tail and wings, and patches of white below their gorgeted throat and tail. The male Costa's Hummingbird's most distinguishing feature is its vibrant purple cap and throat with the throat feathers flaring out and back behind its head. More

Identification: Costa's hummingbird has a long straight bill, a bright green back and crown, white underparts, a dark tail, and greenish flanks. The male has a distinctive, iridescent purple crown and gorget (like a purple mask extending down the neck). The female has a white chin and underside, and like many female hummingbirds, its dark tail has white tips on its outer tail feathers. More

The Costa's Hummingbird has a large range, estimated globally at 560,000 square kilometers. It is native to the nations of North America and prefers savanna, shrubland, grassland, and desert ecosystems, though it has been known to reside in rural and urban areas. The global population of this bird is 3,600,000 individuals and it does not appear to meet population decline criteria that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. The current evaluation status of Costa's Hummingbird is Least Concern. More

A desert hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird breeds in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of California and Arizona. It departs the desert in the hottest days of summer, moving to chaparral, scrub, or woodland habitat. More

The Costa's Hummingbird is fairly common in the arid brushy deserts and any nearby gardens of the Southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. Female (upper) and males The male Costa's Hummingbird's courtship display is a spirited series of swoops and arcing dives, carefully utilizing a proper angle to the sun to show off his violet plumage to impress prospective mates. More

Bent Life History for the Costa's Hummingbird - the common name and sub-species reflect the nomenclature in use at the time the description was written. COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD CALYPTE COSTAE (Bourcier) HABITS This little feathered gem is, to my mind, the prettiest of all the North American hummingbirds. More

On female Costa's hummingbird coloring is more gray and green is more somber. The bill is somewhat shorter than in other species of North American hummingbirds. A high pitched "tik" often reveals the presence of a territorial bird guarding his little corner of earth. To hold their territories, male Costa's employ a series of impressive dives, accompanied by a shrill, prolonged vocalization. More

central California, Costa's Hummingbirds feed extensively on the red penstemon. Since this plant is found mainly in habitats where Costa's is the only resident hummingbird, it is probably the plant's chief pollinator. Physical Description Average weight: male 3.05 g, female 3.22 g. Female birds are larger than males. Plumage Adult male: Metallic green back, violet-purple crown and gorget with very long side throat feathers, green breast. More

Costa's Hummingbird is listed as threatened in the state of New Mexico. Population Size PIF estimates a species population of 3.6 million, 50% of which occurs in the United States. Size of the breeding population in New Mexico is unknown but thought to be very small, and variable from year to year. Population Trend This species is not well sampled by BBS, and no data exist for New Mexico. More

Costa's Hummingbird in the US. This survey is typically performed in June by volunteers on over 4000 bird counts. The counts are done by vehicle during the morning. (http://137.227.242.23/bbs/htm03/ra2003_red/ra04300.htm). NONBREEDING DISTRIBUTION: As desert flower availability declines, many individuals migrate northward into coastal chaparral areas, a period during which very little is known about the Costa's Hummingbird. Some birds possibly breed a second time in the chaparral of the Coast Range, but still remains to be verified. More

(1990) report that Costa's Hummingbirds are common and widespread in southern California, and breed locally along the western edge of San Joaquin Valley, along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada north to Inyo County, and in Monterey County. In the winter, they are restricted to the southern coastal areas and deserts. Unitt (1984) describes Costa's Hummingbird as ranging throughout San Diego County. More

Costa's Hummingbird Nests In Ridgecrest, Calif. = The Lady of the Lamp = Hummingbird on NestHummingbird Nest Lamp For TWELVE consecutive years, a Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae) had nested in the bottom of a lamp in my patio. However, in 2005 I moved to a new residence but I did take the lamps with me. I hope to start a new nest streak once I get settled. More

Costa's Hummingbirds are small hummingbirds that measure up to 9 cms (3.5 inches) in length, they have a wingspan of approximately 11 cm (4.3 inches) and they weigh between 2 and 3 g (0.07 - 0.11 oz). Males have green upperparts and flanks with a pale coloured patch below their throat. Their face is black and they have a violet crown and throat patch. Females have greenish/grey upperparts, a white throat and underside, and a green crown. More