Anna's Hummingbird

The Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) was named after the 19th century Italian duchess Anna De Belle Massena.

What they look like: Anna's Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird, 4 inches in length. It has an iridescent green back and grayish-white underparts. The colorful adult male has an iridescent rosy-red crown and gorget that extends to the sides of the neck (see photos below). The female has an overall dusky appearance with a green back and gray throat patch (see photo to the right). Females have green heads, with a small amount of red on their throats. Immatures look like the adult female.

Where they live:

Originally found only on the Pacific slope from Baja California to San Francisco. Anna's Hummingbird has increased its population and expanded its breeding range in recent years to Vancouver, British Columbia, east to southern Arizona.

Anna's Hummingbird appears throughout the year in the Puget Sound region of western Washington.

What they eat: Anna's Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers and feeders. This hummingbird eats more insects than any of the other North American hummingbirds. They pluck spiders and trapped insects from spider webs.

Nesting: Male and female Anna's Hummingbirds are together only long enough to mate. The female builds the nest and cares for the young. There are typically 1 or 2 eggs per nest. The hummingbird eggs are roughly the size and shape of a small jellybean.

Did you know?

• Anna's Hummingbird wings beat about 40-50 times per second in normal flight.
• Hummingbirds fly about 25mph in normal flight and up to 40mph in a courtship dive.
• A hummingbird can consume up to 50% of its weight in nectar each day.
• The nest is slightly bigger than a walnut.
• A hummingbird's egg is about the size of a small jellybean.

The colors of the crown and throat appear to change when this male turns its head. From a side view, the head looks gray, but from a face-on view, the rose color of this male is displayed.

Anna's Hummingbird Silhouette

More information: BirdWeb: Anna's Hummingbird   All About Birds: Anna's Hummingbird

More photos: Anna's Hummingbird Photos on the Wildlife Web