A Costa's Hummingbird on Overcast Days
Cloudy skies may help the hummingbird's gorget to glow
With the arrival of springtime I am seeing more hummingbirds. During last week's overcast days one particular male Costa's Hummingbird caught my attention. Because of the overcast skies, the Costa's gorget feathers glowed in the light. Because of the rain, perhaps, this Costa's stayed near the feeders on my front porch to protect "its" feeders from any other intruding hummingbirds.
The gorget (throat) feathers of a male hummingbird are not pigmented. The feathers are black. But the cell structure of its feathers break up the sunlight at 'just the right angle' creating the glowing color. Allaboutbirds.org explains Note the position of the hummingbird on the tip of this branch!
In the picture below, the Costa's Hummingbird is still sitting on the exact same branch but has turned his head. The feathers look different now, don't they?
The hummingbird turned its head even further and the feathers are still glowing purple in the light. A Costa's Hummingbird is a bit over 3 inches long, so perhaps as long (head to tail) as your index finger. If you can, find a penny and hold it in your hand while looking at these photos. Go ahead, I'll wait......... That penny weighs about 2.5 grams. A Costa's Hummingbird weighs just a tiny bit more, about 3 grams. With that penny in the palm of your hand, scroll on!
The Costa's moved from the Texas Ranger plant (above), to a wet cholla cactus skeleton.
Costa's Hummingbirds are at home in the heat of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Their purple gorget and the long, overgrown mustache-looking feathers are unique. When perched, Costa's Hummingbirds always seem to be hunched over.
And then it flew back to another perch inside of the Texas Ranger. During the breeding season, a Costa's will have a few favorite perches near its food sources. I watched this bird returning to the same perches over a few days.
Its wing tips barely extend beyond its tail. The green feathers on its back are green due to pigment. That color doesn't change like the feathers on its head and throat can.
A final look at this colorful bird on yet another perch in the same Texas Ranger bush.
Birdnote has a nice piece on Costa's Hummingbirds. If you put out a hummingbird feeder this season, perhaps a Costa's will grace your yard.