Calliope Hummingbird

Selasphorus calliope

The tiny Calliope Hummingbird, smallest of all North American birds, was first discovered in a Reserve garden in December 1982. This species nests at high elevations in the western Rocky Mountains. Initially a very rare vagrant, small numbers of Calliopes are now recorded every winter. Reports have come from nearly all areas of Louisiana.

Dates of occurrence range from late July to late April with most reports in January and February. A few banded individuals indicate that some may roam considerable distances from their initial winter site, while many others show strong fidelity to a site by returning for as many as 6 years. Calliopes prefer dense habitat with low tangles of vines, especially blackberries. The maximum number reported to be present at a single time is 4.

Adult Male: The crown, nape, back and rump are bright, glittering bluish green. The gorget [throat] exhibits long, glittering magenta feathers that form stripes against a pure white background. The wings are dark brown. The underparts are creamy white with a wash of cinnamon coloration on the sides and flanks. The undertail coverts are usually creamy white. The tail feathers are dull brownish black with a touch of cinnamon coloration at the base. The tip of each feather is rounded. The center feathers are the about the same length as the remaining tail feathers, giving the tail a short, squared appearance. The bill is black and about as long as the head.

Adult Female: The crown, nape, back and rump are bright, glittering bluish green. The throat is creamy white with moderate spotting or streaking of green. A few adult females will have one or two magenta feathers at the center of the throat. The wings are dark brown. The underparts are creamy white with wash of cinnamon coloration on the sides and flanks. The undertail coverts are creamy white. The central tail feathers are brownish black with a slight edging of cinnamon near the base. The remaining tail feathers are similar but with a broad black band and the outer three on each side have white tips. The central tail feathers are about the same length as the remaining feathers, giving the spread tail a short, squared appearance. The bill is black and slightly longer than the head.

Immature Male: This plumage closely resembles that of the adult female except that the throat is heavily spotted with green and sometimes a few magenta feathers.

Immature Female: This plumage closely resembles that of the adult female except that the colors of the flanks and undertail coverts are paler, and the throat shows little streaking or spotting. There are seldom any iridescent feathers. The tail feathers may show less cinnamon coloration than those of an adult.

In all plumages, a small black spot between the eye and the bill confirms this species’s identity. The voice is a soft, musical chirp, often given in doublets.