The texture of an animal’s skin is very beautiful, and no two of them are exactly alike. The texture on bird feathers, for example, is so beautiful that it sometimes leads you to believe that those colourful birds are usually native to tropical areas.
- Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) breeding range has expanded north and east since the 1950s. It is widespread across much of its range and adapts well to suburban environments. Their natural habitats include gardens, chaparral, and open woods. It can be found in a wide range of habitats, including streamside groves, chaparral, open oak woodland, coastal sage scrub, gardens, and city parks. Most common in the lowlands and lower mountain slopes, but can be found in high mountain meadows in the late summer.
- This hardy little bird is a year-round resident of our Pacific Coast, spending the winter in many areas where no other hummingbirds can be found. Males have a buzzy song that they often sing while perched, making them more vocal than most hummingbirds. The species’ range has expanded in recent decades, likely due to flowers and feeders in suburban gardens; it now nests north to British Columbia and east to Arizona.
- Feeding Behavior: They feed at flowers, usually hovering and extending their bill and long tongue deep into the centre of the flower. At feeders, they may hover or perch. Fly out and catch small insects in midair, or hover to pluck them from foliage. Females feed their young by inserting her bill deep into their mouths and regurgitating tiny insects, possibly mixed with nectar. The young were about 18-23 days old when they took their first flight.
- Eggs And Diet: Incubation is by female only, 14-19 days. Young: Female feeds the young, sticking her bill deep into their mouths and regurgitating tiny insects, perhaps mixed with nectar. Age of young at first flight about 18-23 days. Mostly nectar and insects. Takes nectar from flowers, and will feed on tiny insects as well. Will also feed on sugar-water mixtures in hummingbird feeders.
- Anna’s hummingbird Nesting: May begin nesting in December, or even earlier. In courtship display, male hovers in midair, giving buzzy song, then flies much higher; he then dives steeply toward the female, making a loud explosive popping sound at the bottom of the dive. Also buzzes back and forth in front of female in short shuttling flights. Nest site is variable, usually on a branch of tree or shrub, sometimes in vines, on wires, under eaves. Usually 4-25 feet above ground, can be lower or higher. Nest (built by female) is a compact cup of plant fibers and spider webs, lined with plant down and sometimes feathers, the outside camouflaged with lichens.
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