They have distinct, iridescent gorget feathers, which form a star-burst of vibrant metallic purple across the pure white feathers of their chin and throat. Their regimes (the feathers of the wing used in flight) are dull brown, slate, or dusky with a purplish gloss. All of their rectrices are stiffer than those of most other hummingbirds, and are dull purplish-black or dusky, with a cinnamon-rufous basal edge and tipped with a dull brownish gray color. Their inner rectories, tail feathers used in flight, are slightly spade-shaped. Male calliope hummingbirds have a metallic bronze-green color on their backs, duller foreheads, and a unique tail morphology. Female and immature bumblebee hummingbirds are very similar to calliope hummingbirds, but lack the broad, round ends of the tail feathers.
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Calliopes stand out amongst other related hummingbirds, such as rufous hummingbirds, broad-tailed hummingbirds, or Allen's hummingbirds by having a shorter bill and shorter tail, very little rufous (red-brown) in their tail, and a patch of pale buff on their breast rather than on their sides and flanks. The irises of their eyes are dark brown and their legs and feet are dusky. Their bills consist of a dull black or dusky upper mandible and a lower mandible, which is dusky near the end and brownish towards the bottom. All adult calliope hummingbirds have wings that extend to the end of the tail or past the tail when folded back however, their wings are much shorter than those of closely related species, making a sound similar to a bumblebee when in flight. Range elevation 185 to 3,400 m 606.96 to ftĬalliope hummingbirds are so unique they are monotypic (the only hummingbird in their genus).
Between these two extremes, calliope hummingbirds can be found in grasslands, desert and scrub forests, and alpine habitats. They can be found in rainforests in their winter range in south central Mexico, however they can also be found in tundras and taigas in their summer range in southwestern Canada. Their long migrations take them through a variety of biomes, depending on the distance they migrate from north and south. They are mainly a mountain-dwelling species, generally occurring at elevations from 1,200 meters to the timberline at 3,400 meters however, this species may breed at elevations as low as 185 meters. ( Bassett and Doreen, 2009 Calder and Calder, 1994 Newfield, 1984)Ĭalliope hummingbirds have broad habitat preferences. However, these observations were rare, suggesting that this might not be a permanent range extension, but rather severe weather influencing their movements temporarily. Calliope hummingbirds have occasionally been observed in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, outside of their known range and migration routes. They winter in central Mexico, mainly in the southwestern parts of the country.
From March to August, they can be found in their breeding range in the Northern Rocky Mountains, from British Columbia to Nevada and as far east as Wyoming. They are the smallest known long-distance avian migrant several records indicate that some individuals complete annual migrations of roughly 9,000 km.
Calliope hummingbirds ( Stellula calliope) are only found in western North America, ranging from Southern Canada to Mexico, depending on the season.
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