A dazzling little desert specialist, perfectly adapted to the arid landscapes of the Coachella Valley and surrounding scrublands. It's one of the most striking hummingbirds of the Southwest, and a year-round resident in the region.
🌵 Identification
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Size: Tiny—about 3.5 inches long.
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Male: Iridescent purple crown and gorget that flare outward like a collar; metallic green back; grayish-white underparts.
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Female: Subtler in color—green above and pale below with a faint buffy wash on the sides; no flashy purple.
When the male turns his head in the light, his head feathers ignite with brilliant purple, making him unmistakable.
🌺 Habitat & Behavior
Costa’s Hummingbirds thrive in desert scrub, washes, and edges of Joshua tree woodlands. They’re often spotted darting between chuparosa, desert lavender, and ocotillo blooms—plants they help pollinate.
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Highly territorial—males will defend flowering plants aggressively.
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During courtship, the male performs a dramatic u-shaped dive, emitting a sharp, high-pitched “zing” created by air rushing through his tail feathers.
🔬 Adaptations
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Efficient nectar feeders with tongues that flick 10–15 times per second.
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Can enter torpor, a state of lowered metabolism, to survive cold desert nights or food scarcity.
🌍 Ecological Role
Costa’s Hummingbirds are key pollinators for a variety of desert flora. Their relationship with native plants is mutualistic: they get nectar, and in return, spread pollen as they move flower to flower.
