Overview

Calliope Hummingbird: Very small hummingbird, metallic green upperparts and flanks, white underparts. Throat feathers are long, purple-red, appearing as streaks on a white background, whiskers when fluffed out, or dark, inverted V when folded. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Calliope Hummingbird: Breeds in mountains from central interior British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, south through Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California to northern Baja California, and east to northern Wyoming, western Colorado, and Utah. Spends winters from northern to central Mexico. Found in mountains (along meadows, canyons and streams), in open montane forests, and in willow and alder thickets. Commonly found in chaparral, lowland brushy areas, and deserts during migration and in winter

Breeding and Nesting

Calliope Hummingbird: Two white eggs are laid in a small lichen-and-moss nest covered with cobwebs, and built on a limb of a bush or well-protected small tree. Incubation ranges from 15 to 16 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Calliope Hummingbird: Feeds on nectar, insects, and spiders. Preferred flowers include paintbrushes, penstemon, columbine, trumpet gilia, and elephant head.

Readily Eats

Sugar Water, Commercial instant nectars

Vocalization

Calliope Hummingbird: Typical call is a high, thin "tsip." Male display call is a high, thin "zee-ree."

Similar Species

Calliope Hummingbird: Female Rufous Hummingbird is larger with longer bill, darker flanks, and more rufous at base of tail.