We have had an Anna's Hummingbird visiting our hummingbird feeder recently. That flash of rose red while we sip from our coffee cup always gives us pause. The color is so brilliant. When I first started bird watching, I thought that my field guide had taken some creative liberties when they chose the color of ink, but I now know that my inexperience was showing and that the field guide was accurate.
A fascinating fact about this little gem of a bird is his display. This little guy will not only display for a female hummingbird, but will show off for humans frequently. He will let you know that you are about to be treated to this display by hovering 6-12 feet in front of you. He will then fly about 130 feet straight up. He will then plummet in a near vertical dive. This display dive ends when the lets off a loud tweet about a 1 1/2 feet in front of you. He will then circle back to his starting point. Now this little hummingbird knows how beautiful he is as he will orient himself to the sun so that his throat and crown are reflected in the sun during the dive.
So, next time you think that the Anna's Hummingbird you were watching disappeared by flying straight up, stay put, he just may be giving you a special view, and celebrate by wearing your Anna's Hummingbird cap.
