Anna’s Hummingbird

Physical Characteristics

Plumage:
Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) is a medium-sized hummingbird known for its brilliant, iridescent colors.

• Male: Features a spectacular rose-pink to reddish-magenta gorget (throat patch) and crown, which shimmer brightly in sunlight. The back and flanks are mostly metallic green, with grayish underparts.

• Female: More subdued, with a green back, grayish belly, and a small patch of red on the throat. They lack the full crown coloration of males.

• Both sexes show bronzy-green upperparts and a slight green wash on the sides.

Head:
The male’s glittering gorget and crown are among the most vibrant of any North American hummingbird, appearing dull in shade but blazing neon in sunlight due to iridescent feather structure. The bill is slender, straight, and black, adapted for sipping nectar.

Body:
Compact and streamlined, built for hovering flight. Females and juveniles are overall greener, while males stand out with their dazzling magenta feathers.

Size:

• Length: 3.9–4.3 in (10–11 cm)

• Wingspan: 4.7 in (12 cm)

• Weight: 0.1–0.2 oz (3–6 g)

Feet & Tail:
Small feet are used mainly for perching, not walking. The tail is fairly short, with rounded feathers in males and more white-tipped outer feathers in females.

Flight Style:
With wingbeats reaching about 50 times per second, Anna’s Hummingbirds hover precisely in front of flowers. Males perform dramatic courtship dives, producing an explosive “burst” sound as air rushes through their tail feathers.

Anna’s Hummingbird’s combination of a brilliant magenta crown and gorget, metallic green plumage, and energetic displays makes it one of the most dazzling and unmistakable hummingbirds in North America.

Reproduction

Breeding Season:
Anna’s Hummingbirds are unusual among North American hummingbirds because they breed very early in the year—from December through May, often beginning while many other birds are still in wintering mode.

Courtship:

• Males perform dramatic courtship dive displays, ascending up to 130 ft (40 m) into the air before plummeting downward past the female, producing a loud “burst” noise with their tail feathers.

• They also hover and flare their iridescent magenta gorget and crown, flashing them in the sunlight to impress females.

• Males do not assist with nesting or chick-rearing after courtship.

Nesting:

• The female alone builds the nest, typically in a shrub, small tree, or sometimes even on wires or human structures.

• Nests are tiny, about the size of a golf ball, built from plant down, moss, and spider silk, allowing flexibility as chicks grow.

• Nests are camouflaged with lichens and bark fragments.

Eggs:

• A clutch usually contains 2 tiny white eggs, each about the size of a pea (0.5 in / 1.3 cm long).

Incubation:

• Lasts 14 to 19 days.

• Only the female incubates the eggs.

Chick Development:

• Chicks hatch blind and featherless (altricial).

• The female feeds them a mixture of regurgitated nectar and small insects for protein.

• Fledging occurs at about 18 to 23 days, though young may continue to be fed for a short time after leaving the nest.

Maturity:

• Juveniles quickly become independent foragers.

• Sexual maturity is typically reached by 1 year of age, when they are ready to breed the following season.

Anna’s Hummingbirds’ early breeding season, spectacular courtship dives, and complete maternal care make them one of the most fascinating hummingbird species in North America.

Lifespan

In the Wild:
Anna’s Hummingbirds typically live 5 to 7 years in their natural habitats along the Pacific Coast, though many do not survive their first year due to predation and environmental stresses.

In Captivity:
With veterinary care, consistent food, and protection from predators, individuals may live longer, sometimes reaching 8 to 9 years.

Record Lifespan:
The oldest known wild Anna’s Hummingbird, documented through banding records, lived at least 8 years and 2 months.

Threats to Longevity:

• Predation: Vulnerable to larger birds, snakes, and domestic cats.

• Weather Extremes: Cold snaps during breeding season can threaten survival, especially for chicks.

• Competition: Anna’s often compete aggressively with other hummingbirds (including Allen’s and Rufous) for nectar-rich territories.

• Collisions: Strikes with windows and entanglement in spider webs or human debris can be fatal.

Despite these challenges, Anna’s Hummingbirds have expanded their range northward in recent decades, thanks to garden plantings and backyard feeders, allowing them to thrive in urban and suburban environments.

Eating Habits

Diet:
Anna’s Hummingbirds are nectar specialists, but they also require protein. Their diet includes:

• Nectar: From flowering plants such as currant, gooseberry, manzanita, and many ornamental garden flowers.

• Insects & Spiders: Small flies, gnats, aphids, and spiders provide protein for adults and developing chicks.

• Sap: Occasionally visit sap wells drilled by sapsuckers, feeding on both sap and trapped insects.

Foraging Behavior:

• Hover in front of flowers, extending their long tongues up to 13 licks per second to draw nectar.

• Perch on shrubs and wires to survey feeding areas, aggressively chasing intruding hummingbirds or even larger birds.

• Catch insects midair (hawking) or glean them from leaves, bark, and webs.

• In winter, they rely heavily on garden plants and feeders, which has helped them expand northward into colder regions.

Feeding Adaptations:

• Long, forked tongue with brushy tips specialized for nectar feeding.

• Ability to enter torpor at night, lowering metabolism to conserve energy when food is scarce.

• Exceptional memory allows them to track the timing of flower nectar refills within their territory.

Role in Ecosystem:
Anna’s Hummingbirds are key pollinators of native plants along the Pacific Coast, ensuring the reproduction of many wildflowers. Their insect-hunting also helps control populations of small flying insects.

The Anna’s Hummingbird’s diet of nectar, insects, and sap, combined with its aggressive territorial defense, makes it a highly adaptable and ecologically important species.

Uniqueness

Brilliant Magenta Crown and Throat:
Unlike most hummingbirds that only show iridescence on the throat, male Anna’s Hummingbirds have a shimmering rose-pink gorget and crown, creating one of the most dazzling displays in North America.

Explosive Courtship Dive:
Males perform dramatic dives, dropping from up to 130 ft (40 m) in the air and producing a loud “burst” sound as wind rushes through their tail feathers—one of the most spectacular displays of any hummingbird.

Early Breeders:
They are unusual in beginning their breeding season as early as December, often raising chicks while snow still covers northern parts of their range.

Urban Expansion:
Anna’s Hummingbirds have successfully adapted to human environments, using gardens, ornamental plants, and feeders to expand their range farther north than most hummingbirds, now reaching into Canada year-round.

Torpor Survival Strategy:
To survive cold nights, they can enter torpor, a hibernation-like state that dramatically lowers their metabolic rate, allowing them to conserve energy until morning.

Year-Round Residents:
Unlike many migratory hummingbirds, Anna’s are non-migratory, remaining in their territories along the Pacific Coast throughout the year, making them one of the most reliable hummingbirds for birdwatchers.

Anna’s Hummingbird’s mix of spectacular plumage, dramatic courtship dives, early nesting, and adaptability makes it one of the most unique and remarkable hummingbirds in North America.