Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) is a small, stunning bird native to the west coast of North America. With its iridescent emerald-green back, grey underside and vivid magenta-rose throat patch, this hummingbird is one of the most striking and recognizable in North America. Here we explore the unique characteristics that define this species.
Physical Appearance and Markings
Anna’s Hummingbirds display pronounced sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females look quite different.
Male Anna’s Hummingbird
The adult male Anna’s Hummingbird has distinctive iridescent plumage that shifts in color depending on the viewing angle and light conditions. The crown and back feathers have a brilliant emerald green color. The tail feathers are grey-green basally, with black subterminal banding, and broad magenta-rose tips.
The most striking feature of the male is its magenta-rose gorget (throat patch). This iridescent gorget appears black at some angles but glows rose-pink when hit with direct sunlight. The shape is elongated and pointed, extending partway down the bird’s breast.
The male Anna’s Hummingbird has a long, straight black bill and dark eyes. The undertail feathers are white with dark central spots. The belly and flanks are grey, and the legs and feet are black.
Female Anna’s Hummingbird
The adult female is much less colorful than the male. Her plumage is mostly grey-green on top, with a pale grey underside. The female lacks the iridescent gorget, instead having just a few small magenta feathers scattered on the throat.
The female can be identified by the green crown and back, dark grey-green tail with white tips, pale grey breast and flanks, and small magenta throat spotting. The eyes, bill, and feet are similar to the male’s.
Immature Appearance
Hatchlings are covered in downy grey feathers. As they mature, young Anna’s Hummingbirds slowly acquire adult plumage in their first year. Young males start growing iridescent throat feathers and may look like adult females during this transition period. By their first breeding season, males have their full colorful mature plumage.
Size and Proportions
Anna’s Hummingbird is a very small bird, though large for a hummingbird. Key size features:
- Total length: 3.9 – 4.3 inches (10 – 11 cm)
- Wingspan: 4.3 – 4.7 inches (11 – 12 cm)
- Weight: 3 – 6 grams (avg. 4.5 grams)
The long, slender bill measures approximately 1 inch in length. The tail measures 1.5 – 1.7 inches on average.
In terms of proportions, Anna’s Hummingbird has a short neck and small head compared to the plump, round body shape. The wings are long and pointed, spanning over two-thirds the length of the entire bird. The tail is fairly short for a hummingbird.
Males tend to be larger than females, which is unusual among hummingbird species.
Flying Abilities and Aerobatics
Anna’s Hummingbirds are agile, acrobatic fliers with some notable flight capabilities:
- Hovering – They can precisely hover in place by rapidly beating their wings up to 70 times per second. This allows them to feed on flower nectar while stationary.
- Backward flight – One of few birds able to fly backwards using reversed figure-eight wing motions. This helps them retreat from flower blooms.
- Fast speeds – Reach top flight speeds around 30 mph. They are one of the speediest hummingbird species.
- Rapid dives – Males perform nearly vertical mating dives up to 100 ft at speeds around 60 mph, making a loud popping sound at the nadir.
- Aerial dogfights – Males engage in intense aerial battles, repeatedly climbing high and diving at each other.
These flight skills allow Anna’s Hummingbirds to nimbly access flowers and defend feeding territories. Their compact shape minimizes drag during aerial stunts.
Voice and Sounds
Anna’s Hummingbirds have a distinctive, sharp, high-pitched voice. They primarily vocalize with quick chips and cheeps.
Some key vocalizations:
- Chipping call – Both males and females use a rapid series of tsi, tsi, tsi chip notes for communication. The call is sharper when agitated.
- High-speed dive – Males make a loud popping, ringing pom noise at the bottom of their courtship dives, caused by tail feathers vibrating at high speeds.
- Shrill squeals – Males utter shrill squealing and twittering sounds during chase flights.
- Begging calls – Nestlings give short, repeated zeep sounds when begging for food.
Anna’s Hummingbirds also produce nonvocal sounds like wing trills and tail-feather scratches during courtship displays.
Range and Distribution
Anna’s Hummingbird has a relatively limited range along the west coast:
- Breeding range – They breed along the Pacific Coast from southern British Columbia to Baja California. Most breeding occurs in California.
- Winter range – Many birds migrate for the winter, some as far south as Mexico. But others remain in the breeding range year-round.
- Habitat – Found in a variety of habitats including suburban gardens, parks, scrublands, canyons, and chaparral. Always near flowers and nectar sources.
Anna’s Hummingbirds have expanded their range northward in recent decades as warmer climates allow them to overwinter farther from the Mexico border. They are now the most common hummingbird species seen along much of the Pacific Coast.
Diet and Feeding
Anna’s Hummingbirds subsist primarily on sugar-rich nectar and small insects:
- Nectar – They drink nectar from a variety of flowering plants, visiting new blooms as they come into season. Favorites include sages, currants, and monkeyflowers.
- Insects – Up to a quarter of their diet is small insects like gnats, aphids, and spiders. Insects provide essential protein, minerals, and nutrients.
- Feeders – They readily feed on nectar from specialized hummingbird feeders, particularly in winter when flowers are less abundant.
- Feeding method – Hover in place and extend their long tongue into flower corollas or feeder ports to lap up nectar.
- Energy needs – Must consume approximately half their body weight in nectar daily to meet their intense metabolic demands from hovering and flying.
Anna’s Hummingbirds defend feeding territories against intruders to maintain access to nectar sources. They spend much of daylight hours feeding.
Unique Behaviors and Skills
Anna’s Hummingbirds exhibit some interesting behavioral adaptations and skills:
- Sunbathing – They perch in open sunlight and orient their iridescent feathers at an angle to maximize light reflection. This may help regulate body temperature.
- Puddle-licking – They drink water from rain puddles to get needed moisture, as nectar has little water content. The birds also pick up minerals from soil in the puddles.
- Bathing – Use sprinklers and fountains to bathe daily, splashing water through their plumage and preening feathers. Keeps feathers in top condition.
- Torpor – Capable of entering a deep, energy-saving sleep state to conserve energy on cold nights. Body temperature drops substantially.
- Wind-hovering – Uniquely able to hover in place facing into strong winds that would blow other birds backwards. Allows feeding in windy areas.
These behaviors help Anna’s Hummingbirds thrive in their environment. Their sharp vision, smell, and color perception also aid in finding food sources.
Reproduction and Nesting
Anna’s Hummingbirds breed between November and June depending on their range:
- Courtship – Males ascend high then dive straight down at high speeds, making loud chirps at the bottom. Also perform pendulum flights to impress females.
- Mating – Polygynous; male mates with multiple females. Little pair bonding. Female builds nest and cares for young alone.
- Nest – Tiny 1.5 inch diameter cup of plant down, spider webs, and lichens bound with saliva. Often on branches of live oaks, sycamores, pines.
- Eggs – Usually lays 2 tiny white eggs. Incubates eggs for 16-19 days.
- Young – Nestlings fledge in 18-26 days. Female feeds on insects to produce protein-rich crop milk for chicks.
- Broods – May raise up to 3-4 broods per mating season. High mortality rate for young.
By reproducing frequently, Anna’s Hummingbirds are able to maintain healthy populations despite short lifespans.
Taxonomy and Classification
Anna’s Hummingbird is classified in the following taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Calypte
Species: Calypte anna
This species was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli. It has no recognized subspecies. Anna’s Hummingbirds are part of the bee hummingbird clade within the larger Trochilidae family of hummingbirds. Genetic evidence shows limited divergence between Anna’s and Costa’s Hummingbirds.
Conservation Status
Anna’s Hummingbird has a conservation status of Least Concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Specific factors:
- Stable population – Current global population estimated up to 1.4 million and is reportedly increasing.
- Wide range – Breeds across a long Pacific Coast range from British Columbia to Baja. Also found year-round in much of range.
- Habitat adaptability – Well-adapted to human-altered environments like suburbs, parks, and gardens. Readily uses feeders.
- Climate resilience – Expanding its range northward as climate warms. Not currently impacted by climate change.
- No major threats – Significant threats to survival have not been identified at present.
With large numbers and an ability to adapt to human proximity, Anna’s Hummingbirds are in no danger of extinction under present conditions. Their flexibility helps protect them from habitat loss and climate change impacts.
Cultural Depictions and Symbolism
Anna’s Hummingbird has inspired many cultural depictions and symbolism:
- Featured in the artwork of John James Audubon and Louis Agassiz Fuertes, influential naturalist illustrators.
- Depicted in jewellery, pottery, fabrics, and quilts made by certain Native American tribes like the Chumash people.
- Serves as the official city bird of Los Angeles, appearing in the city seal. It represents joy, vibrancy, and resilience.
- A famous Anna’s Hummingbird named Pete was a beloved visitor to a California home for over 30 years until 2013. He inspired documentaries.
- Symbolizes playfulness, lightness, optimism, luck, and family bonds in some Native American and Mexican traditions.
- Appears in literature and poetry as a muse for beauty, hope, and overcoming adversity despite small size.
With its striking beauty and lively nature, Anna’s Hummingbird will continue to inspire human creations ranging from artworks to stories to garden decorations. The bird aptly reflects both the beauty and grit of its California homeland.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anna’s Hummingbirds
How did Anna’s Hummingbird get its name?
Anna’s Hummingbird was named after a 19th century French duchess, Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli. It was discovered in the 1850s by French ornithologist René Primevère Lesson, who named it after the Duchess.
How fast can an Anna’s Hummingbird fly?
Anna’s Hummingbirds can fly at speeds over 30 mph. During their vertical mating dives, males may reach speeds of 60 mph or more before pulling up. This makes them one of the fastest-flying hummingbirds.
What is the wingspan of an Anna’s Hummingbird?
The wingspan range for Anna’s Hummingbirds is 4.3 – 4.7 inches on average. Relative to the body size, they have exceptionally long wings that enable maneuverability.
How long do Anna’s Hummingbirds live?
The average lifespan of Anna’s Hummingbirds in the wild is 3-4 years. The oldest known Anna’s Hummingbird was a female who lived to be 12 years old. Most die within their first year.
Do male and female Anna’s Hummingbirds look different?
Yes, there are pronounced physical differences between adult males and females, known as sexual dimorphism. Males have vivid iridescent emerald-green and magenta plumage, while females are mostly grey-green.
What is Anna’s Hummingbird’s habitat?
Anna’s Hummingbirds live in a variety of habitats along the Pacific Coast including forests, parks, gardens, scrublands, and chaparral. They occur in both natural and human-made environments.
What sounds does an Anna’s Hummingbird make?
Anna’s Hummingbirds make high-pitched squeaking and chipping vocalizations. Males produce loud popping sounds with their tail feathers during courtship dives. Females emit sharp chip calls.
Do Anna’s Hummingbirds migrate?
Some Anna’s Hummingbirds migrate south in winter, while others remain year-round in the breeding range in California. Their winter range extends from California through Mexico.
How do Anna’s Hummingbirds build nests?
Female Anna’s Hummingbirds build tiny cup-shaped nests out of soft down, spider webs, lichens, and moss. The outside is decorated with bark flakes or lichens as camouflage. Nests are only about 1.5 inches wide.
What do baby Anna’s Hummingbirds eat?
After hatching, the female feeds the chicks with nectar and insects that she regurgitates after mixing it in her crop. This nutritious mixture is similar to mammal milk, often called “crop milk.” As chicks near fledging, the female feeds them more insects.
Conclusion
In summary, Anna’s Hummingbird is a spectacular, vibrant bird most identifiable by the male’s shimmering rose-pink gorget and dramatic mating dives. Despite its tiny size, this species displays remarkable strength and speed in flight. An adapter to both natural and human-made habitats, the energetic Anna’s Hummingbird can thrive across much of the western U.S. coast. This iconic bird has earned its status as a cultural symbol of resilience and hope in California and beyond. With an ability to flourish near humans, the future looks bright for Anna’s Hummingbird populations to remain stable for years to come.