Skip to main content

Calliope Hummingbird

Stellula calliope
The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest bird in North America, and is also the smallest long-distance migrating bird in the entire world!  Weighing only .1oz (3g), it is astonishing to think that these little guys are able to fly all the way from the Pacific Northwest down to their wintering ground in Mexico! 

Calliope Hummingbirds are named after the Greek Muse of Epic Poetry. Like many birds, the males of the species are more brilliantly colored, with metallic green backs, stark white undersides, and pinkish-purple streaks on the neck. Females are green on the back, but have a more tan underside and no bright  neck coloration. 

Calliope Hummingbirds often  live near bodies of water, and build their nests in forests near lakes and streams. They are also typically found at higher elevations; Calliope Hummingbirds have been seen as far up at 11,000 ft! 

Calliope Hummingbird perching
When Winter comes, the Calliope Hummingbirds head south to Mexico. However, unlike many other migrating birds, these little guys make the trip solo. They make short stopovers to “refuel” and eventually end up over 2,700 miles (4,500km) away. While in Mexico they remain at higher elevations but are not necessarily found near bodies of water. In fact, some even spend their yearly “holiday” in desert-like areas!

Unfortunately, there isn’t a whole lot else specifically known about Calliope Hummingbirds, as they haven’t been extensively studied. However, we do know that through nectar consumption they serve as pollinators within their home environments, helping to fill an important role within their ecosystem.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Western North America
Size : Length 3.5in (9cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Trochiliformes
Family: Trochilidae -- Genus:  Stellula -- Species : S. calliope
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
60 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Binturong

The Binturong ( Arctictis binturong ) also has an equally awesome alternate common name, the Bearcat! However, it really isn't much of a bear OR a cat. While it is true that it is part of the Feliforma suborder, it is not a member of family Felidae. Binturongs are a part of their own family, Viverridae, which is shared with Civets, Linsangs, and Genets. There are six subspecies of Binturong, all of which have slight differences based upon location and habitat. Binturongs range in body size from 60-100cm in length, (not including their tail which has roughly the same length) and weigh between 20 and 30lbs. Binturongs are nocturnal animals native to the rain forests of South East Asia. The species range spans through several countries including China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. They are tree dwelling mammals, and have fully prehensile tails that basically double their body length and can be used to cling to the trees or to grasp food. Binturongs are phe
Post a Comment
Read more