Anna’s hummingbird

[ CALYPTE ANNA ]

Perched like garnets amid a blur of wings, male Anna’s hummingbirds reach full territorial fervor this month as they guard cherished patches of chaparral flowers. Along the coast males endure slashing winter rainstorms, and in the Sierra Nevada foothills they sing among snow-blanketed trees to stake their claims. Territorial defense includes countless hours of fierce singing, continuous chases and, most dramatic of all, energetic displays in which the male shoots skyward for 120 feet, then descends aggressively at either an intruder or a desirable female. Successful males attract mates that lay two eggs in delicate nests fashioned from spider webs and bits of plant down.

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NATURAL HISTORY

This hardy little bird once nested only south of the Bay Area, but since the 1930s its range has expanded significantly, to as far north as British Columbia. The use of urban yards and backyard hummingbird feeders as food sources may explain the change.

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KEY CHARACTERISTICS

Singing birds emit a steady torrent of squeaky, jumbled notes. Females are a dull green, while males sport an iridescent red hood that sparkles in the sunlight.