Hummingbirds of Arizona: Costaa's Hummingbird

The Costa's Hummingbird

Size: The Costa's is a small hummingbird of about 3.5 inches with a short straight bill.

Identifying Characteristics: For the male it is a long, flared purple gorget. The female is much like the Black-chinned female except that there appears to be a dark gray "smear-like" patch in back of the eye. (very clear in the next to last photo). The female also appears duller; i.e. the back and rump are not as dark green as the Black-chinned. It can even appear grayish. The Costa's is a little "plumpier" than the black chinned as well.

Habitat: Open scrub desert, washes, canyons.

Range: Southern California and Southern Arizona.

Seasons: year round with highest concentrations from February through June.

Where To Find: Although not abundant, it is here at The Azure Gate year round. So this is one of the most reliable places to find Costa's. WOW Arizona is another location to try. Like the Calliope, though, they do not travel in large numbers. So finding them is more difficult.  

Comment: The Costa's, Broad-billed, and the Anna's are the three most frequently found hummingbirds here at The Azure Gate. Costa's and Anna's breed here during the Spring. They typically nest on outer branches of our Palo Verde trees. Their nests are a work of both art and engineering.  They are delicately woven and yet strong enough so that during high winds, the nest sways with the branches as one.  The nests are about two inches high, with an inside diameter of only an inch at most. Usually, two eggs - although at least one year there were three. The Costa's prefers red flowers. In California, that is the Red Penstemon. Here at The Azure Gate that means Salvia. They also feed on insects that they can catch around those flowers. 

Hummingbirds of Southern Arizona: Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird breeds in Southern California and Southern Arizona, wintering along the West Coast of Mexico. We do find some that reside in Southern Arizona, so it is not unusual to spot one here during the winter.

Costa's Hummingbird

The Joys of Birding -- or so

Once again the ability to accept defeat has surfaced. I spent the last two days photographing --- well, not necessarily photographing -- with some "birding" friends. Thursday we visited: Florida Canyon, Madera Canyon, Montosa Canyon, Amado WTP, Rio Rico Ponds, Kino Springs. Friday we visited WOW Arizona and Incinerator Ridge on Mount Lemmon. What a nice list of birds including townsend's, hermit, yellow, and red-faced warbler; western wood peewee, yellow eyed junco, several vireos, stellar jays, black hawk ---- oh, the list goes on .... 

The best birding spots were Florida Canyon and Mount Lemmon by far. However, I must admit that I didn't come home with one photograph that I would rate a four or five. 

But all those birds were quick looks. Gone in a flash -- or darting around on the backside of bushes and trees.  I wish that birds --- well, didn't have wings. It would make photographing them much easier. On Incinerator Ridge you are walking beneath a forest of pine trees. Unfortunately not much light gets through. Add to that the "flightiness" of birds and you can understand the difficulty.

However, we did see a Berylline Hummingbird in Madera Canyon at Chuparosa Inn. And, there were plenty of hummers including Allen's and Costa's at WOW Arizona. The hummingbirds were my best photos of the past two days. Here are a few:

Berylline Hummingbird

Allen's Juvenile Hummingbird

Costa's male and female fussing

Broad Billed Hummingbird

Black Chinned Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird - II

And, now the female Costa's Hummingbird:

Add caption

Costa's Hummingbird

Back to the series on my "5" Star Photos we come to Costa's Hummingbird. Costa's is a rare hummingbird found only in Southern Arizona and Southern California. It is not found in huge numbers, rather solitary. There is no reliable place to go to find them. You might find one here at The Azure Gate just as easily as anywhere else in its range. Even so, that does not mean we see one often.

This photo was taken just outside my office while he was perched on a creosote bush. I took several photos and was surprised when one "caught" him with wings expanded.

Costa's Hummingbird

More Hummers from Miller Canyon

So, here are a few more hummers from our Miller Canyon visit:

White Eared Male

White Eared Female

Magnificent Male

Blue Throat Female

Broad Tailed Female

Costa's Female

Anna's Male

Black Chin Male

So, this week's two trips to Miller Canyon found 12 species of Hummingbirds. Not bad!

costa's hummingbird

Well let's leave the Huachuca Mountains for the moment and come back to The Azure Gate where a Costa's Hummingbird seems to want to perform. This is a male Costa's showing off. Our guests now are from Colorado Springs, Santa Fe, and San Francisco. They seem to be having fun sharing stories over breakfast (Southwest Salmon Benedict). All are headed to Sabino Canyon today for a hike.