Appearance:
BILL: slightly decurved black bill.
SIZE: a fairly large hummingbird, measuring 4.5-5.25 inches in length 3.1 inches wingspan for males and 2.3 inches for females.
WEIGHT: between 6-10 grams, females are larger than males.
COLOR: green, black, gray, white, blue, iridescent.
Habitat:
OPEN WOODLANDS: found in edges of evergreen forests in the highlands of Mexico, mountain canyons, as far north as southeastern Arizona and pine-oak forests, usually near water.
Food:
NECTAR from a variety of brightly colored, scented small flowers of trees, herbs, shrubs, and epiphytes.
INSECTS small beetles, spiders, flies, and wasps.
Distribution:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. They spend the winter in Mexico.
Nesting:
NEST: cup-shaped nest made of spider silk, wrapped and stitched together, lined with plant fibers, animal hair, feathers, and even spider egg sacs and cocoons, the outside consist of mosses and bark secured with more spider silk.
EGGS: 1-2 eggs, 0.6-0.7 inches in length. The egg is dull white, smooth and oval.
INCUBATION: 17-19 days, female only.
NESTLING PHASE: 24-26 days.