Iridescent Jewel

A male Anna's Hummingbird displays his brilliant rose-red gorget

Anna's Hummingbirds are California's most common year-round hummingbird, with males sporting an iridescent rose-red head and throat that appears black in poor light. These tiny aerial acrobats can hover, fly backwards, and reach speeds of 60 mph in courtship dives. Their hearts beat up to 1,260 times per minute during flight, and they must feed every 10-15 minutes to maintain their incredible metabolism.