California hummingbirds
There are many hummingbird species that call California home. The state’s warm weather, varied ecological regions, and abundance of natural spaces attract various hummingbirds over the course of the year.
This blog post will discuss the three species of hummingbird that live in California year-round – Anna’s hummingbird, Allen’s hummingbird, and black-chinned hummingbirds.
Anna’s hummingbirds
Anna’s hummingbirds are the most common hummingbirds found year-round in California.
These hummingbirds originated in southern California and northern Baja California but have expanded their range alongside humans. Anna’s hummingbirds are now found all over the Pacific Coast as far north as Vancouver Island, as far east as Arizona, and at times have been found deep in the Nevada desert.
Their successful expansion has come alongside the growing human population on the west coast. Anna’s hummingbirds have benefitted from ornamental plants being planted in residential neighborhoods, from hummingbird feeders being put out by gardeners, and from non-native species being planted for cultivation (like eucalyptus in the Pacific Northwest).
The species has adapted to environmental changes caused by humans and have drastically increased their range as a result. The population is very steady, and these hummingbirds are not considered endangered.
Vancouver, Canada, near the northern end of their range, voted Anna’s hummingbird as the official bird of the city in 2017.
Males and females have different color patterns. Male Anna’s hummingbirds are brightly colored and look more like flying jewels than birds. Their distinctive coloration is iridescent, crimson-red feathers on their crowns and gorgets. They are the only North American species of hummingbird with a red crown.
The females are much more conservatively colored. Their crown and chest are dull green with flecks of iridescent magenta. Their back and belly are a deep green with grey, black, and white feathers mixed in.
Anna’s hummingbirds feed primarily on nectar produced by flowers. Like all hummingbirds, they rely on their long tongue to reach the bottom of a flower to drink up its nectar. Anna’s hummingbirds are also known to catch insects mid-flight for added protein in their diet.
Anna’s hummingbirds are such a resilient species because they often hybridize with other hummingbird species found in California. This has made them adaptable to changes in their environment and allowed the species to flourish in areas heavy populated by humans. They most frequently hybridize with Allen’s hummingbird, another hummingbird found year-round in California.
Allen’s hummingbirds
These hummingbirds are commonly found in meadows, brushy woods, and gardens in coastal California from Santa Barbara as far north as Oregon.
There is a good chance you will find these hummingbirds in an urban or suburban setting. The species colonized Los Angeles County in the 1960s and have spread through Orange County and into San Diego.
Similar to Anna’s hummingbirds, Allen’s hummingbirds have benefitted from human expansion. They have exploited flowering plants planted in gardens through residential areas all across southern California.
There are two subspecies of Allen’s hummingbird
- S.s sasin breeds in California and southern Oregon and spends its winters in central Mexico
- S.s sedentarius spends the entire year in California, particularly the islands off southern California
The sub species look very similar to each other and differ mainly based on which regions they frequent.
By selecting a wide range of flowering plants there is a good chance you could attract these hummingbirds to your garden.
This species has a unique color pattern. Males and females have different colorations.
Males are predominantly rust-colored. Their throat is an iridescent orange-red. They have green coloration on their backs and on their heads.
Females have much more muted colors and are well camouflaged. Their bodies are mostly green with some rust coloring on their tails. The tips of their tailfeathers are white.
Allen’s hummingbirds have a diet that is typical of most hummingbirds. They feed predominantly on nectar from flowers and supplement their diet by eating insects.
Black-chinned hummingbirds
Black-chinned hummingbirds have expanded well beyond California’s state borders. The species has been found in abundant populations as far south as Mexico, as far north as British Columbia and Alberta, and as far east as Oklahoma.
This adaptable species of hummingbird thrives in a wide range of habitats including meadows, orchards, woodlands, and mountain ranges. They are typically found in semi-arid regions across through western North America. They usually build their nests near water.
Even with their wide range, these hummingbirds are found year-round in California. Their population is very resilient and adaptable. Their conservation status is rated least concern.
Their distinctive color pattern will make black-chinned hummingbirds instantly recognizable if they visit your garden. Both males and females have metallic green upper feathers and white lower feathers. Male’s heads are entirely black while their throats have iridescent purple coloration.
Black-chinned hummingbirds exhibit a unique behaviour when building their nests. Research has shown that they purposely build their nests below the nest of much larger predatory birds, like hawks and falcons. Black-chinned hummingbirds are too small to be a meal for these large predators, but their presence likely offers protection from other birds that may be a threat to a nesting female and her chicks.
How to attract California hummingbirds
Each of these hummingbird species have expanded through California alongside humans. These year-round residents of California have all benefited from an increase in residential gardens and hummingbird feeders being set out for them.
You can attract these beautiful visitors to your garden by using the same strategies that helped these birds drastically expand their range. Planting a wide variety of colorful flowers and adding a hummingbird feeder will draw these species to your garden.
Here are some other resources we have written about attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators to your garden:
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