Common along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to California as well as east into Arizona, Anna's Hummingbirds (3.5-4 in) are a stocky hummingbird with a green-gray back. Males have a rosy red crown and throat, which can look dull brown or gray if there is no sunlight. Females have a small red patch on their throat.
Anna's Hummingbirds eat small insects and flowering plant nectar and are common in urban areas. When courting, the males climb up to 130 ft in the air, swooping to the ground with a burst of noise they produce with their wing feathers.
Could it be? Anna's Hummingbirds are the largest, stockiest hummingbirds in their range. Costa's Hummingbirds are smaller with shiny purple on the throat and sides of their short neck. Black-chinned Hummingbirds are smaller and more slender. Their beak curves slightly downwards and males have a black band below their chin with a purple stripe below it.
Did you know? Female Anna's Hummingbirds sit in the nest and build the rim up around themselves. The nest is made of plant down and small feathers held together with spider webs and insect cocoons.
See Also: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird
