The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest bird in North America. Weighing in at just 0.1 oz, with a body size of 3 1/2″, the Calliope Hummer is also the world’s smallest long distance migrant.
As small as they are, you’d think that the Calliope would be easily out competed for food and nesting territories. If feeder behavior is an indicator, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the Calliope’s ability to defend itself. I’ve personally seen on numerous occasions how the Calliope just ignores the overaggressive top dog Rufous while the Calliope just keeps on eating at the feeder.
Known for the beautiful vertical striping of its gorget (throat), the male Calliope is easy to spot – a very small striped jewel. The female is tougher, she too is very small but her ID is complicated by the fact that fledgling Broad-tails may be just off the nest when Calliopes arrive. The female Calliope is hard to distinguish from a fledged female Broad-tail.
Calliope Hummers breed in the western states from southern CA to British Columbia- eastward through Colorado up through Alberta. They travel through our front range of Colorado in mid-summer while they slowly make their way southward to winter in southern Mexico.
A variety of habitats suit the diverse tastes of their diet – from montane forest to open, brushy high plains with wildflowers.
Midsummer is now upon us – so be on the look out for these small jewels of the hummers!
Calliope Hummingbird (http://www NULL.allaboutbirds NULL.org/guide/Calliope_Hummingbird/lifehistory)
- John Sears
Tags: Calliope Hummingbird
