Hummingbird WESTERN BIRDS 



together with spider webs, with sometimes feathers in- 

 side, is the usual construction. It is rather larger than 

 that of the Black-chinned and the walls are much thicker. 



GENUS CALYPTE: COSTA'S HUM- 

 MINGBIRD. 



Costa's Hummingbird: Calypte costee. 

 FAMILY— HUMMINGBIRDS. 



Another of these birds that often strays into the 

 California gardens during the summer months, is the 

 Costa Hummingbird, which belongs to the same genus 

 as Anna and in many ways resembles it, although it is 

 one of our smallest Hummers, the male being only a trifle 

 over three inches in length. 



It is a summer resident from southern California and 

 southwestern Utah south to southern Lower California 

 and southern New Mexico. It winters in Lower Cali- 

 fornia and northwestern Mexico. 



Like the Anna, the tail of the male is forked, and he 

 is a bronzy-green above, and whitish below; and like 

 his large cousin he, too, has the color on the top of the 

 head, as well as a long flaring ruff on the throat. These 

 are the only two members of the family that have the 

 brilliant color on the crown, but there is no danger of 

 confusing them because of the size and very different 

 coloring. Costa has an amethyst crown and gorget 

 which flashes green lights as he darts about. The female 

 differs not materially from other Hummer females, but 

 is smaller, has purple spots on her throat, the tail feath- 

 ers tipped with white, except middle ones — while only 

 the three outer ones of the Black-chinned are white- 

 tipped. It is certainly no easy matter to differentiate 

 these little females, and we humans would appreciate 



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