General

Costa's Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird with green back, pale gray underparts and dull green flanks. Crown and throat patch are brilliant metallic purple. Tail is green with black outer tail feathers. Female and juvenile have white throat, sometimes speckled with purple. Tail is green with white-tipped outer tail feathers.

Range and Habitat

Costa's Hummingbird: This species breeds in southwestern North America from central California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah southward into Baja California and coastal Mexico. It spends winters in southern California and Mexico. They prefer arid habitats supporting Joshua trees and cholla cacti.

Breeding and Nesting

Costa's Hummingbird: Two white eggs are laid in a delicately woven cup with leaves or lichens fastened to the outside, built low on a protected branch of a bush or small tree. Incubation ranges from 15 to 18 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Costa's Hummingbird: Feeds mainly on nectar, but supplements diet with insects; forages while hovering.

Readily Eats

Sugar Water

Vocalization

Costa's Hummingbird: Call is a combination of a pale "chip" and high tinkling notes.

Similar Species

Costa's Hummingbird: Lucifer Hummingbird has strongly decurved bill, green crown, and deeply forked tail. Female Lucifer is strongly buff below, has decurved bill, and forked tail. Female and immature Anna's is larger with darker throat and duller underparts. Female Archilochus Hummingbird has streaked throat.