How To Spot A Costa's Hummingbird (& Where You'd Likely Find Them)

To spot a Costa's hummingbird, you have to know what they look like. Females are hard to identify compared to other hummingbirds, as many share a relatively similar appearance. These have bright white chests, and greenish-brown coloring on their back. They are most identifiable by the white stripe above their eyes, short wings that don't extend much past their tail when closed, and a small gray patch on the cheeks. Males, however, are easier to spot. Male Costa's hummingbirds have bright purple and black feathers surrounding their face, and throat, making them easy to identify even when they are flying around at high speeds. They are small and compact, with a comparatively short tail.

Not everyone will get a chance to see a Costa's hummingbird (Calypte costae). They are only found in the southwesternmost part of the United States year-round. Specifically, they live mostly around the lower areas of California and a small corner of Arizona, in the Sonoran and the Mojave Deserts. However, you can't just go searching for these birds blindly. While Costa's hummingbirds are adorable and aren't likely to hurt you, there are still several animals you need to be cautious of when you're exploring California's deserts, and the environment itself is plenty dangerous, as well.

Costa's are often confused with Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna). They have a similar range, though the latter will often travel further, more commonly being found in states like Oregon and Washington as well as the entirety of California. They also spend time in Arizona and New Mexico in certain seasons. These birds are smaller and slimmer in design, with brighter green feathers and more of a pink hue than purple amongst the males.

You don't want to just wander randomly through the desert in hopes of finding these tiny birds. The best chance to find them is to look at plants they regularly visit. Costa's hummingbirds are commonly found in sage scrub in the desert and along the coast. They also frequently gather nectar from cacti, but their favorite plants seem to be chuparosa and ocotillo. 

During the breeding season, you may come across them a little more north, and in small parts of Nevada and Utah, as well. If you don't mind leaving the United States, they are also frequently found in the northwesternmost part of Mexico year-round, and will travel a little further south during the nonbreeding season. Though this is where they are commonly found, there have been instances when these adventurous little creatures were sighted all the way north into Canada and Alaska.

They're a bit shy, so if you live in the area, you may need to give them several feeding options to entice them to come when more aggressive hummingbirds may be around. You can also focus on drawing them specifically by planting native flowers, such as cactus, rather than a list of plants that will attract all hummingbirds. While Costa's may still enjoy these, they are more likely to flock to native flowers they know better. You can also help them out by making open hummingbird nest boxes if you live in areas where they breed.