[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4.75 in.]

This captive male Costa's Hummingbird was photographed at the Hummingbird Aviary, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 9, 2007)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4.75 in.]

This captive male Costa's Hummingbird was photographed at the Hummingbird Aviary, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC20E II 2.0x Teleconverter (EFL=900mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 9, 2007)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4.75 in.]

This male Costa's Hummingbird was photographed at a private residence, Inyokern, California, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: July 6, 2013)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4.75 in.]

This male Costa's Hummingbird was photographed at a private residence, Inyokern, California, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: July 6, 2013)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4 in.]

This male Lucifer Hummingbird was photographed at Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast, Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 9, 2007)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4 in.]

Lucifer Hummingbirds occur in the extreme corners of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and the Big Bend region in southwestern Texas. Hummingbirds get their name from the low humming sound produced by their rapidly beating wings. There are a number of birds that can hover, but Hummingbirds are the only ones that can actually fly backwards. Male Hummingbirds have iridescent coloring on the throat or gorget. Most colors in nature are created by chemical compounds called pigments that look the same from any direction. However, iridescent coloring is created by the physical structure of the feather reflecting and refracting the light, and the color can only be seen when the feathers are facing directly towards the observer. When the bird turns its head even slightly in either direction, the color disappears and the feathers appear black. The effect is similar to a mirror reflecting bright light into your eyes. If the mirror is turned even slightly, the bright light disappears. Females lack this coloring since they do not display to attract a mate. However, females usually have white spots in the tail feathers that they use to display to other Hummingbirds, particularly when they compete for food sources, such as flowers and feeders. This male Lucifer Hummingbird was photographed at a feeder in the Davis Mountains of Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm f4 EDAF lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: June 2000)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4 in.]

This male Lucifer Hummingbird was photographed at a feeder at the McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: June 2000)

[Length 3.5 in. Wingspan 4 in.]

This male Lucifer Hummingbird was photographed at Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast, Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: August 9, 2007)