Costa's Hummingbird

Calypte costae

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

9 cm (3-4" ) Common in southwestern deserts washes, dry chaparral, sage scrub and arid hillsides.

Male: similar to male Back-chins and Ruby-throated hummers except it has a violet cap and its gorget or colored throat sack extends further down the side of its neck.

Female: is not safely told from female Black-chinned.

Call is a rapid ticking.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: Alan Vernon

Credit: Alan Vernon

Male - February 18, 2009 - AZ-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ

Credit: J.N. Stuart

Male - on April 24, 2011 in Park Laurel, San Diego, CA, US

Credit: Nathan Rupert

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Costa's Hummingbird

Credit: Jeff Soo

Costa's Hummingbird perched on Desert Honeysuckle. 1080p 24fps @500mm

Credit: Paul Landau

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Costa's Hummingbird (Female)

1 rule

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 4

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:448-costa-s-hummingbird-female:1:1 Source: 448 Costa's Hummingbird (Female), row 1

Costa's Hummingbird (Male)

1 rule

Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 4

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:447-costa-s-hummingbird-male:1:1 Source: 447 Costa's Hummingbird (Male), row 1