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Costa's humming bird

Calypte costae

Description:

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.

Habitat:

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.

1 Species ID Suggestions

luvnature
luvnature 11 years ago
Costa's Hummingbird
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3 Comments

the_tajminator
the_tajminator 11 years ago

Um I have no idea I only saw it this one time

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

too cute. Is that purple obvious all the time or is it black when not in use?

the_tajminator
the_tajminator 11 years ago

thank you I was amazed at how close it let me get

the_tajminator
Spotted by
the_tajminator

Arizona, USA

Spotted on Aug 27, 2012
Submitted on Aug 27, 2012

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