Anna’s Hummingbird
The male’s iridescent crown and throat can flash rose-magenta or vanish to black as light and angle change.
Artwork inspired by Granville Redmond
Anna’s hummingbirds expanded from a largely California and Baja range into gardens and cities across the Pacific states. Both sexes are green above; adult males can show a fully iridescent crown and gorget, while females often carry a few colored throat spots. Voice and a direct, buzzy song help when color disappears.
The courtship dive turns speed into sound: air passing the male’s tail feathers makes a sharp chirp near the bottom of the arc. Native flowering plants and insect-rich habitat matter alongside clean feeders. If a feeder is used, plain sugar water and frequent washing are safer than dye, honey, or neglected solution.
- Male color
- Rose-magenta crown and throat
- Display
- Tail-made chirp during steep dive
- California pattern
- Common year-round resident
Quick guide
- Change your angle
- Iridescence may switch from blazing color to black.
- Hear the song
- A scratchy repeated phrase often comes from an exposed perch.
Recognize and observe
- Change your angle
- Iridescence may switch from blazing color to black.
- Hear the song
- A scratchy repeated phrase often comes from an exposed perch.
- Watch the dive
- Stand clear and observe the U-shaped courtship flight.
- Maintain feeders
- Use plain solution and clean before mold or fermentation develops.
Good to know
Hummingbirds do not live on nectar alone. Small insects and spiders provide protein, so pesticide-free plantings support more than a sugar stop.
Notice these
- Rose-magenta crown and throat
- Tail-made chirp during steep dive
- Common year-round resident