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There are many kinds of "hummers" - very few
of them however are able to withstand the arid conditions of the Imperial
Valley. The small Costa's Hummingbird is one of the few who are able to
breed and nest in this desert area (although it does leave in late Spring
before it gets too hot).
Like Costa's, the Black-Chinned Hummingbird is another purple-throated hummer that can also be found visiting local backyard feeders and flowering plants. Other species found here are usually just passing through to cooler climes. These can be seen in desert areas near the mountains to the west or along the Colorado River to the east. |
If you are interested in learning more about this bird online - I recommend you start with the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/infocenter.htmlThey present photographs, songs, identification tips, maps, and life history information for North American birds - including the Costa's Hummingbird
OTHER OUTSIDE LINKS FOR THIS BIRD:
The Lady of the Lamp - For eight consecutive years, a Costa's Hummer has used a lamp at a house in Ridgecrest, California as a nesting site. This story by Rick Hallowell has many photos of the nest along with data on egg laying and hatching.
Humabout Hummingbird Photography - Wayne Owen's photographs of Costa's Hummingbirds, nests and eggs. Also has a nice page of Hummingbird Art and photo pages of other birds and wildlife.
Jenny's Hummingbird Links Page - Jenny Rasmussens' page has extensive links to photos, images and information on anything and everything having to do with hummingbirds!
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This site is maintained by:
Eldon R. Caldwell
Imperial Valley College
Email: eldonc@imperial.cc.ca.us