Bird of the Month

Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) are medium sized Hummingbirds commonly seen at feeders. The females are mostly green and gray but the males, (if caught in the right light) have a gorgeous shining red head and neck. The species is native to the western part of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They are the most common feeder hummingbird in California, so if you have a feeder you probably have these. Fun Fact: All Hummingbirds live in the New World (North and South America), you will never find a Hummingbird in Europe or Africa. Recent discoveries show that even lowland Hummingbirds like this one can withstand air pressure as low as the top of Mount Everest. Hummingbirds are the only type of animal capable of hovering, flying backwards, and flying upside down. Their wings can flap up and down more than 70 times per second, and their hearts beat more than a thousand times per minute (a human's heart beats about 70 times per minute). One reason Hummingbirds come to feeders so much is that their metabolism is so high that they can't fly without food every 20 minutes. How then, you wonder, do they sleep? Good Question. Hummingbirds actually go into torpor (a state of hibernation), and their hearts slow down to 50-180 times per minute. It was recently discovered that plants "hear" pollinators coming and sweeten their nectar accordingly.

How To Identify Common Hummingbirds

There are three common Hummingbird Species that I have found at my feeders. They are: Anna's Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Rufous Hummingbird. Here are some pictures: