Birds of Anza Borrego and Borrego Springs

Costa's Hummingbird, Calypte costae, feeding on Chuparosa nectar.

Costa's Hummingbird on a dried out Ocotillo branch.

Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia, leaping off of Desert Willow.

New Bird: Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird (male), Calypte costae, Anza Borrego State Park, California. It's always fun to see a new hummingbird. These beautiful hummingbirds are typically found in arid scrub, deserts and washes from the Southwest U.S. through N.W. Mexico. The males can be identified by the brilliant violet-purple gorget (mask under the throat) which projects out to either side like a fu manchu mustache. As with Anna's the color is only apparent when the sun is reflecting off of the gorget.

Ironically, we went to the Anza Borrego Desert looking for wildflowers and found only a few tiny wild flowers. The more fragile ones had already bloomed out with the multiple waves of hot and cold weather. On the other hand, the cacti were just starting. In spite of the disappointing dearth of wildflowers, there were a wealth of Costa's hummingbirds at the gently irrigated, bountiful wildflower garden at the Anza Borrego State Park Visitor's Center. There was even reputedly a hummingbird nest; however, it was well hidden and managed to elude us.

Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird, lounging on the protea plant in the front yard. These are tiny little birds, considerably smaller than the more common Anna's Hummingbird. This one has a beak full of pollen, a hazard of poking your beak up long tubular flowers. Some plants, such as Heliconia, specifically require Hummingbirds as pollinators due to their long, tubular flowers with a tiny opening on the end.

Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird (Female), Calypte costae. These tiny hummingbirds (about 3.5 inches long) are found throughout the Arid Southwestern U.S. and into the Baja Peninsula. The males have a bright violet mask.