Small and Feisty Fliers

Meet Calliope hummingbirds and attract them with native plants.

- AMY GRISAK

Male Calliopes puff out a flashy group of neck feathers, also known as the gorget, to woo potential mates.

Measuring a mere 3 inches long and weighing roughly the same as a ping-pong ball, the Calliope hummingbird is incredibly tiny. In fact, Eric Rasmussen, avian scientist at the MPG Ranch in Montana's Bitterroot Valley, points out that this hummingbird is the smallest bird seen in North America.

Pops of Purple

Look for several key clues to identify this diminutive species. Both males and females sport glossy, bright green plumage on their heads and backs, with white on their underparts. Males have stripes of magenta along the throat, while females and juveniles have a bit of cinnamon color underneath.

Look closely, too, at a Calliope's tail and wings. "When they are perched, their wingtips tend to protrude just below the tail tip," Eric says.

Take Flight