Hummingbirds

Tiny, fast, and impossibly dazzling, hummingbirds are among Southern California’s most captivating native species. Known for their iridescent feathers and rapid wingbeats (up to 80 times per second), these birds hover like insects, dart like arrows, and bring flashes of color to gardens, chaparral, and canyons alike.

Traits and Habits

Hummingbirds are the only birds capable of sustained hovering, thanks to a unique ball-and-socket joint at the shoulder. They feed primarily on nectar, using their long, specialized tongues to reach deep into flowers. In the process, they act as vital pollinators. They also eat small insects and spiders for protein, especially during nesting.
These birds are fiercely territorial and can often be seen chasing each other from feeders or blossoms with surprising aggression for such small creatures.

Common Species in Southern California

• Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) – A year-round resident, males display brilliant magenta-pink throats and crowns. Adaptable and bold, they often nest in backyards and city parks.
• Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) – Common along the coast, especially in spring, males have coppery sides and a reddish-orange throat.
• Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae) – Found in desert areas, they’re recognized by their purple crown and throat, flaring out like a hood.
• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) – A migratory species known for its long-distance flights; males are bright orange with iridescent red throats.
• Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) – Seen more inland, males show a velvety black throat with a hint of purple.
• Window Collisions – Their speed and agility make them especially prone to crashing into reflective glass.

What You Can Do

Planting native flowering species, keeping feeders clean and safe (refilling with a 1:4 sugar-water ratio), avoiding pesticides, and adding window decals can all support local hummingbird populations. With a bit of care, you can help these winged gems continue to shimmer across Southern California skies.

To Capture Shadows and the Golden Hours

Photographers and naturalists alike know that the soul of a scene often reveals itself not in the harsh glare of midday, but in the quiet light of early morning or late afternoon. These “golden hours” — just after sunrise and before sunset — drape the world in a soft, warm glow, coaxing out textures, long shadows, and subtle contrasts that midday light flattens and hides.

For hummingbird watchers, golden hour offers a double gift: the birds are often active, flitting between blossoms and feeders, and the angled light catches the iridescence of their feathers — magentas, coppers, and emeralds that don’t shine under any other light quite the same way.

Shadows, too, become storytellers during these hours. The silhouette of a perched hummingbird against a glowing sky, or the gentle ripple of leaf shadows over a bird mid-hover, add depth and drama to a scene that feels alive and fleeting — just like the birds themselves.

In Southern California, where light often feels like a presence in itself, capturing shadows and golden hours is more than a technique. It’s a way of seeing — of slowing down to witness how even the smallest wings can catch the day’s last gleam and turn it into gold.

Other Birds