Costa's Hummingbird Photo Gallery
Adult male
Small and compact hummingbird with a hunched posture and a short tail. The male's iridescent purple gorget (throat patch) flares out along the sides of the neck like an overgrown mustache.
© Gordon Karre / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 06, 2017Female
When perched the wings barely extend beyond the tail on this tiny, compact hummingbird. Females are greenish above with a white eyebrow stripe, a grayish cheek patch, and whitish underparts.
© Gordon Karre / Macaulay LibraryArizona, January 29, 2020Adult male
Gorget color is dark purple, and feathers extend off the sides of the throat. Fairly short wings; wingtips barely extend past the tail.
© Benjamin Clock / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 22, 2013Not all videos have soundAdult male
Males repeatedly perch at 3–4 favorite spots within their territory, usually a dead twig in a palo verde, acacia, or ironwood, and sing a thin high-pitched whistle to proclaim ownership and keep intruders out.
© Christopher Lindsey / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 31, 2020Immature male
Immature males have variable amounts of adult gorget feathers coming in on the neck. Note whitish underparts and green washing on the sides.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 23, 2020Female
A compact hummingbird. When perched, its wings barely extend beyond the tail. Females are greenish above with a white eyebrow stripe and a grayish cheek patch.
© Herb Elliott / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 28, 2016Adult male
Found in desert scrub in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, and chaparral and sage scrub areas in coastal California where they drink nectar from many desert plants, especially chuparosa and ocotillo.
© James Taylor / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 22, 2018Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Hummingbirds(Order: Caprimulgiformes, Family: Trochilidae)
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