Here’s how to identify the remarkable varied thrush and how to attract these beautiful birds to your yard.

What Does a Varied Thrush Look Like?

A varied thrush perches on a branch in winter.
To identify a varied thrush look for a dark band on the orange breast and stripes on the wings.

About the size and shape of the American robin, the varied thrush sports a bold black band that resembles a necklace on its rich orange breast that contrasts with a blue-gray back, orange wing bars and a wide black stripe across its eye. The females look similar but paler.

Learn how to identify the rest of the birds in the thrush family.

Seeing this species is a treat, since varied thrushes are “not the kind of bird to sit out in the open,” says Maeve Sowles, president of the Lane County Audubon Society in Oregon. “You hear them more than you see them.”

Varied Thrush vs American Robin

Cute female varied thrush.
Female varied thrush in north Idaho

It may be difficult to tell female or juvenile varied thrush apart from robins since they share similar coloring and size. You’ll know it’s a varied thrush if there are stripes on the chest and wings.

See more types of birds that look like robins

Varied Thrush Range and Habitat

Male Varied Thrush
The varied thrush is a northwestern bird species that may wander out of range in winter.

These particular thrushes live year-round in the wet forests of the mild Pacific Coast—all the way from southeastern Alaska to Northern California. Farther inland and north they are migratory, nesting in forests from Alaska to the mountains of Montana. They retreat southward and to lower elevations in autumn, when they often visit backyards and city parks.

This species is known for being a notorious wanderer outside of breeding season. It’s been sighted in every state of the Lower 48, often foraging in the midst of a flock of robins. Look closely and you, too, may spot this beauty.

Learn how to identify a wood thrush.

Varied Thrush Bird Song and Call

Bird songs courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Just like the first robin of spring, “the first report of a varied thrush in fall gets a lot of excitement!” Maeve says. She recommends opening a window on an autumn morning and listening for a very haunting yet distinct call.

The varied thrush sings a single drawn-out note, then pauses, then another note comes, and so on. “Each note grows out of nothing, swells to a full tone, and then fades away to nothing until one is carried away with the mysterious song,” ornithologist and bird artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes said in a handbook more than a hundred years ago.

Hear the sounds of the American robin bird call.

What Do Varied Thrushes Eat?

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Varied thrushes eat insects and berries, and you may attract these birds to feeders with seeds and suet.

Look for these ground feeders under trees and shrubs. They often scratching aggressively in leaf litter for beetles, sowbugs, snails, worms and other morsels. “In fall and winter, they eat fruit and berries from trees and bushes,” Maeve says. “This includes crabapples, native salal, thimbleberry, cascara, snowberry and others—well, for as long as they last.”

To attract varied thrushes to your yard, scatter birdseed mix on the ground and offer suet in a wire cage. Try one of our homemade suet recipes for birds. “Varied thrushes stay all winter,” Maeve says, “even in snow and ice storms. We don’t have cardinals, but a varied thrush in snow is just as impressive!”

Next, discover how American robins find worms.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

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Why Does a White Hummingbird Have White Feathers?

white hummingbird
Leucistic and albino hummingbirds are rare and special sightings for birders.

Seeing a hummingbird of any color is cause for joy. They zip through flowers and amuse birders endlessly with their energy, all while shimmering like gemstones in the golden sunlight. A white hummingbird, however, is a truly memorable sighting.

White hummingbirds aren’t a species of their own—but depending on their specific condition, they can be either leucistic (partly or patchy white, with some color in feathers) or albino (completely white, with red or pink eyes). The factors contributing to the bird’s unusual coloration are complex.

white hummingbird
This white hummingbird is leucistic because it has dark colored eyes.

Dr. Kevin McGowan of Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy explains the biological basics in human terms: “The analogy I like to use is that it’s like starting your car,” he says. “You get in your car and try to start it, but it doesn’t start. Why? Well, there are dozens of different reasons why that could be, but the end result is that the car doesn’t go.”

What scientists do know, he says, is that a white hummingbird’s snowy feathers likely boil down to genetics, development, or diet. In the end, though, scientists are often stumped. “You look at a white hummingbird, and it can be hard to tell exactly why,” Kevin says. “We know it has something to do with the development and deposition of pigments through the body.”

The Impact of White Hummingbird Feathers

leucistic Anna's hummingbird
Leucistic Anna’s hummingbird

Birders might be awestruck at the sight of a white hummingbird, but other hummingbirds? Not so much.

Kevin explains that for females, have light-colored feathers might mean being more susceptible to predation or to nest predation. For males, without a bright gorget, it can mean struggling to find a mate.

“For hummingbirds, it’s all about the male display,” he explains. “If you don’t have the costumes, and the lights, and you don’t have the flashy colors, then you’d better be a good dancer.”

Whether or not a hummingbird passes its all-white coloration down to offspring depends on the source of the coloring in the first place. “If there’s a genetic defect for failure to make melanin, that can be passed down,” Kevin says. “Developmental ways are not genetic, so the answer is yes and no depending on what the problem is.”

White feathers might put the birds at a disadvantage in ways beyond finding mates and avoiding being eaten. Kevin notes that feather structure and support is is dependent on melanin, which white hummingbirds lack. As a result, their feathers might take more wear than those of regularly colored hummingbirds.

What makes hummingbird feathers so shimmery?

How Rare Are Albino Hummingbirds?

albino hummingbird
Albino hummingbird at a sugar water feeder

Birds & Blooms reader David Jones of Muskogee, Oklahoma, shared this photo (above) of an albino hummingbird that came to visit his feeder. He asked, “How rare are birds like this?”

Birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman reply, “Every year there are a few reports of hummingbirds that are partly or mostly white. These birds lack most of the melanin and other pigments in their feathers and are called leucistic. But the bird in your photo appears to have the characteristics of a true albino hummingbird: completely white feathers, pink bill and feet, and even pink eyes. Such true albino hummingbirds are extremely rare. What a treat to have this exceptional and beautiful white hummingbird visiting your feeders.”

Check out more stunning hummingbird photos you need to see.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

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How Long Do Hummingbirds Live?

costa's hummingbird, how long do hummingbirds live
Adult male Costa’s hummingbird in Arizona

“Two kinds of hummingbirds visit our yard: black-chinned hummingbirds and Costa’s hummingbirds. One is a young male Costa’s whose throat patch is just beginning to show. I always wonder how old he is. What is the lifespan of a hummingbird?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Terry Burkhart of Landers, California.

Birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman write, “These tiny creatures don’t live long. Based on banding studies, 7 or 8 years is a ripe old age for most hummingbirds in the wild. Ruby-throated hummingbirds have lived 9 years. And one banded female broad-tailed hummingbird in Colorado made it to age 12.

A zoo that’s properly set up to care for these birds may stretch longevity. Two black-chinned hummingbirds at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson lived to 13 or 14 years old. We don’t have much information on the Costa’s hummingbird. But a male with his gorget (throat patch) just developing would be a little less than 1 year old.”

What Factors Affect a Hummingbird’s Lifespan?

how long do hummingbirds live
Adult male ruby-throated hummingbird in Maine

Dr. Kevin McGowan, senior course developer for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy, agrees that hummingbirds—like many smaller songbirds—aren’t long-lived. “Especially small birds, they tend to be readily eaten,” he says. “That’s a problem. So generally, with hummingbirds or sparrows or chickadees, you can expect the maximum to be around ten years. If they make it to ten years, that’s really good.”

Most species of hummingbirds breed when they’re around 1 year old. For juvenile hummingbirds, leaving the nest for the first time means constantly searching for nectar. According to Kevin, food availability is one of the biggest factors affecting how long hummingbirds live.

“They need more food, more often, than most birds,” he explains. “That could be a big hazard for birds that are this quick. Failure to find food is probably a huge source of death for them.”

hummingbird photos
Young male Anna’s hummingbird visits a bird bath

It might be difficult to believe given their tiny size, but some birds and other backyard predators do eat hummingbirds. Kevin goes on to say that sharp-shinned hawks, Mexican jays, spiders, and praying mantises will all kill hummingbirds…if they’re able to catch them. Outdoor cats, he adds, are one of the biggest risks to hummingbirds’ longevity—and unfortunately, they’re often quick enough to bring down these fast-moving birds.

How You Can Help Hummingbirds

Hummingbird Eating, how long do hummingbirds live
Place your feeder in a safe location where outdoor cats and other predators cannot get to it.

With food availability as such a major factor in survival, it’s no surprise that hummingbirds compete fiercely for resources. Kevin explains: “Think about if you had a bag of flowers, and you could go around and get a sip from each flower that gives you enough for half of a meal,” he says. “The flowers will regenerate that nectar, but it takes a long time.” In that context, the bird’s instinct to defend is understandable.

For those hoping to help their backyard hummingbirds live longer, Kevin recommends keeping feeders high enough off the ground that predators won’t be able to reach them. In addition, he says backyard birders can add a bird bath to provide hummingbirds with a source of water, too.

Next, discover the truth about common hummingbird myths.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

Sources

  • Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman, official birding experts for Birds & Blooms and authors of the Kaufman Field Guides Series
  • Dr. Kevin McGowan, senior course developer for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy

You have a very small space, perhaps just a patio, yet you still want to grow shrubs. Or maybe you have a good-size yard, but it’s filled to the max. Or perhaps you just like small shrubs because they’re so darn cute! It doesn’t matter what your story is: Nearly everyone can find a use for a small shrub. Use our top picks as your guide to the best small shrubs for small spaces.

Did you know: Even full-size shrubs can work in compact spaces. Certain “root-hardy” options that die back in colder climates—such as bluebeard, chaste tree and butterfly bush—can be cut to the ground in early spring and allowed to regrow.

Looking for more evergreen options? Check out the top 10 dwarf conifers for small spaces.

Ways to Use Small Shrubs in Your Yard

  • as a focal point in a larger container
  • to give year-round structure to a garden bed
  • by a foundation
  • to attract wildlife to smaller spaces

Delights Of Summer: Deutzia 'raspberry Sundae' (nature Brief)

Raspberry Sundae Deutzia

Deutzia hybrid, Zones 5 to 9

Unlike other deutzia varieties that grow 6 feet or taller, this compact, rounded cultivar grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It features arching stems and large panicles of purple-pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies from midspring to midsummer.

Why we love it: The slightly fragrant flowers are white with pink edges, while the golden yellow foliage is a delightful treat in fall.

Pwweigela Midnight Wine Shine 1

Midnight Wine Shine Weigela

Weigela florida ‘SMNWFMS’, Zones 4 to 8

The beloved Midnight Wine shrub gets an update with this pick. Enjoy its dark, glossy leaves, and look for hummingbirds at the tube-shaped pink blooms that arrive in spring and last into early summer. Grow in a spot with full sun and watch it reach 1 to 1 1/2 feet high and 2 or more feet wide.

Why we love it: Deer are usually not a problem for this plant.

Grow a crimson bottlebrush shrub for pollinators.

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Bollywood Azalea

Rhododendron ‘Farrow’, Zones 6 to 9

This semievergreen shrub is hard to miss in spring when neon pink flowers appear. But it’s no one-trick wonder, as the variegated green and cream foliage proves. Bollywood’s mounded habit maxes out around 3 feet high and 2 feet wide.

Why we love it: The flowers attract butterflies, and the leaves almost glow in a moon garden at night.

Rhododendron vs azalea: how to tell the difference.

Pw Beyond Midnight Caryopteris 9

Beyond Midnight Bluebeard

Caryopteris x clandonensis, Zones 5 to 9

At just 24 to 30 inches tall and wide, this pollinator favorite has deep blue flowers atop glossy green foliage. It’s a drought-tolerant option with a mounded habit that is neater than other bluebeards.

Why we love it: Add Beyond Midnight for a burst of color in the late-summer garden, where it’ll continue blooming into fall.

Check out our favorite dwarf flowering shrubs for containers.

Pw Jazz Hands Mini Loropetalum

Jazz Hands Mini Chinese Fringe-Flower

Loropetalum chinense, Zones 7 to 9

From ground cover to container plant, Jazz Hands Mini is a pick worth exploring. It’s just 1 foot tall but grows 3 feet wide, so it is handy at filling blank spaces with its handsome black-purple foliage.

Why we love it: The frilly pink flowers have an intriguing shape, and look especially good against the dark leaves.

Cultivar Dwarf Mountain Pine Pinus Mugo Var. Pumilio In The Rocky Garden.

Mugo Pine

Pinus mugo, Zones 2 to 7

Compact cultivars of mugo pine offer year-round visual appeal with condensed forms and dark green needles. As drought-tolerant shrubs, they look particularly good partnered with rocks and boulders or as part of a dwarf conifer garden. Prune one-half to two-thirds of the expanded growth, called candles, in early spring to control its size.

Why we love it: You can find a cultivar of this pine to fit in almost any yard space.

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Firedance Dogwood

Cornus cericea, Zones 2 to 7

Dogwood comes in many shapes and sizes, so consider adding a compact variety to your backyard. This Firedance cultivar is true to its name, with reddish-purple foliage in fall. It grows only 3 or 4 feet high and prefers full sun. This shrub is a good choice for moist soil, slopes and rain gardens.

Why we love it: In addition to those glowing leaves, its pretty white berries give it four-season appeal.

Don’t miss these blooming bushes that attract butterflies.

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Coral Beauty Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster x suecicus, Zones 5 to 8

This drought-tolerant ground cover shrub is just 1 to 2 feet tall, but can spread out up to 6 feet in length. It offers white flowers in spring and pretty red berries set against purple-tinged evergreen foliage in fall.

Why we love it: Cotoneaster can help control erosion, and the ornamental berries attract birds.

A fireside ninebark shrub is another perfect choice for a small-space garden.

Pw Cc04070

Little Henry Sweetspire

Itea virginica, Zones 5 to 9

Popular with pollinators, Little Henry delights in spring or summer with white, fragrant flower panicles and again in fall when leaves turn to hues of orange and red. It’ll reach 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Why we love it: Plant Little Henry almost anywhere in spots ranging from full sun to full shade, and in areas with poor drainage too.

Psst—here’s even more pretty flowering bushes for your yard.

Pw Little Quick Fire Hydrangea

Little Quick Fire Panicle Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata, Zones 3 to 8

An award-winning dwarf version of the popular Quick Fire panicle hydrangea, this features creamy white flowers that age to attractive hues of deep pink. It matures at just 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, and can even be grown in a container.

Why we love it: As the name suggests, it fires up flowers quickly, blooming a month before most panicle hydrangeas, and it extends the hydrangea season.

Backyard tip: Some hydrangeas are especially suited for smaller spots in a landscape. Try Tiny Tuff Stuff mountain hydrangea, Invincibelle Wee White smooth hydrangea or Little Quick Fire panicle hydrangea, depending on your region.

White spiraea flower blossoms

Meadowsweet Spiraea

Spiraea alba, Zones 3 to 8

You can find a slew of compact spirea, but this Meadowsweet spiraea is one of our favorites. This upright, loose shrub grows 3 to 4 feet tall and features foliage that starts yellow-green then turns golden-yellow in the fall. It blooms white summer flowers that produce nectar and attract bumblebees.

Why we love it: Attracts birds, butterflies and bumblebees.

Love fall foliage? Check out the best fall shrubs to grow.

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Cool Splash Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle

Diervilla lonicera, Zones 4 to 7

You won’t have to worry about disease or insect problems with this honeysuckle shrub. Look for the variegated cultivar Cool Splash. It’s very hardy, even in cold climates, and can take dry, sandy soils as well. It grows up to 4 1/2 feet tall, with variegated foliage and yellow flowers in the summer.

Why we love it: It’s similar to honeysuckle without invasive problems, and it’s a prolific summer bloomer that attracts butterflies.

Check out more alternatives to invasive shrubs.

Clethrasugartinacrystalinabloom

Clethra Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia, Zones 4 to 9

This popular small shrub is known for its fragrance, shade tolerance and bright summer blooms. Most clethras grow 8 to 12 feet, but now you can have this beauty in your own small space with compact versions like Sugartina Crystalina and Hummingbird.

Why we love it: It will tolerate some shade—ideal for gardeners with lots of dark areas in their backyard.

Close Up,of,flowering,white,dwarf,fothergilla,(fothergilla,gardenii),in,spring.

Dwarf Fothergilla

Fothergilla gardenii, Zones 4 to 9

This standout has creamy white bottlebrush flowers in spring with a light honey scent, dark green to blue-green foliage during summer and a fiery mix of orange and red leaves in fall. The dense, mounded shrub, native to the southeastern U.S., is 2 to 3 feet tall and slightly wider at maturity.

Why we love it: Dwarf fothergilla rewards you with intrigue in three of the four seasons.

small shrubs, Blue Chip Butterfly Bush

Lo & Behold Butterfly Bush

Buddleia, Zones 5 to 9

We love this dwarf noninvasive butterfly bush. Try cultivar Blue Chip. It’s a very small shrub, growing only 2 feet tall and wide, making it a perfect choice for gardeners who love the blooms of butterfly bush but don’t have much space. Plant buddleia in full sun.

Why we love it: The lavender-blue flowers are heavenly, blooming from summer to frost.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

Sources

Grow a Hummingbird Native Plant Garden

250599305 1 Mary Junk Bnb Bypc2020, native plants for hummingbirds
Hummingbird at ocotillo plant flowers

Hummingbirds migrate hundreds of miles every spring and fall in search of food to fuel their busy bodies. Plant a nectar-rich oasis in your yard for flying jewels to enjoy on their journeys—and during nesting season in summer—by incorporating into your garden the native plants for hummingbirds that they seek out naturally.

“Native plants play a big role in supporting wildlife,” says Alyssa Sargent, a University of Washington Ph.D candidate who studies tropical hummingbird ecology. “Research has shown that landscaping with native plants can support more birds: higher abundance, more species and more breeding pairs. Hummingbirds generally seek flowers that ‘match’ the lengths of their bills, which is true of many native flowers.”

In addition, Alyssa points out: “We see hummingbirds feeding most often from tubular flowers that are red or orange and sometimes pink. It depends on whatever the local climate supports.”

Use this regional list to create a specialized hummingbird garden full of nectar for your favorite tiny fliers.

Western Native Plants for Hummingbirds

Golden Currant, Ribes Aureum, native plants for hummingbirds
Golden currant

You’ve come to the right place if you’re after hummingbirds. Find rufouses and Calliopes in high concentrations in areas of the Northwest. Further south is home to broad-tailed and Allen’s. Anna’s is a year-round resident along the Pacific coast, while adaptable black-chinned hummingbirds thrive almost everywhere from urban gardens to pristine natural canyons.

Golden currant

Ribes aureum, Zones 3 to 8

Golden yellow flowers with a strong clove-like fragrance appear in early spring. Use as an informal hedge or in a border where it’ll grow about 6 feet high and 6 to 10 feet wide.

Crimson columbine, Aquilegia formosa
Western columbine

Western columbine

Aquilegia formosa, Zones 3 to 9

With bright red sepals and sunshine yellow petal blades, the nodding flowers are hard to miss—for both gardeners and hummingbirds! Grow in beds and borders with full sun to part shade for a pop of color late May through August.

Scarlet bugler

Penstemon centranthifolius, Zones 8 to 10

Brighten up waterwise gardens and naturalized areas with this perennial favorite that also attracts native bees and butterflies. It tolerates areas with cold winters within its hardiness zones.

Chamerion angustifolium (Fireweed , chai Ivan) blooming plant / herb in the mountain. Natural herb concept. Natural medicine plant. Rila mountain, Bulgaria
Fireweed 

Fireweed

Chamerion angustifolium, Zones 2 to 7

This tall, showy wildflower looks natural when planted in meadows, as well as woodland, rock and cottage gardens with moist soil and full sun. Clusters of pinkish purple flowers appear in early summer.

Southwestern Native Plants for Hummingbirds

Ocotillo In Bloom Springtime Tucson, Arizona, native plants for hummingbirds
Ocotillo

Costa’s hummingbirds live in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of Arizona and California, while black-chinneds, rufouses and Anna’s are more widespread across this arid area.

Ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens, Zones 7 to 10

Bright clusters of red flowers atop long, spiny stems make this unusual-looking plant impossible to miss. It’s a significant food source during the northern spring migration of hummingbirds seen in this region.

Beard-lip penstemon

Penstemon barbatus, Zones 4 to 8

Best for sunny areas, this penstemon grows up to 3 feet tall. Sparsely leaved stems allow hummingbirds easy access to the scarlet tubular blooms in early summer.

Want to add more color to your garden? Find even more colorful flowers for hummingbirds.

Epilobium Canum Ssp. Angustifolium (california Fuchsia, Hummingbird Trumpet)
California fuchsia

California fuchsia

Epilobium canum, Zones 8 to 10

Also called hummingbird trumpet, this shrubby plant sports bright red blooms after many wildflowers go to seed. This is extremely helpful timing for the start of the southward migration of many hummingbirds.

Salvia Greggii Cold Hardy Pink Close Up 2
Autumn sage

Autumn sage

Salvia greggii, Zones 6 to 9

This small shrub is evergreen in southern hardiness zones and produces trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, orange and white in summer and fall. A drought-tolerant native, autumn sage does best in full sun without overwatering.

Check out the top 10 salvias to grow for hummingbirds.

Midwestern Native Plants for Hummingbirds

Campsis Radicans / Trumpet Creeper / Trumpet Vine, native plants for hummingbirds
Trumpet vine

There is only one common hummingbird species found in the Midwest. If you guessed ruby-throated, you’re right! Look for these tiny fliers in semi-open habitats such as suburban backyards, parks, gardens, meadows and forest edges.

Trumpet vine

Campsis radicans, Zones 4 to 10

This high-climber’s vibrant orange-red flowers are irresistible. It blooms throughout summer and can reach 35 feet, making it the perfect planting companion for a pergola or fence. It’s native to many areas of the U.S., but check before planting in the Southeast, where it can be invasive.

Flower of a tall larkspur, Delphinium exaltatum
Tall larkspur

Tall larkspur

Delpinium exaltatum, Zones 4 to 7

Its brilliant blue-purple flowers of delphinium add color to woodland and cottage gardens from July to September. Reaching 6 feet tall, this perennial should be grown in full sun (or in part shade in warmer climates) and in rich, well-draining soil.

Bring in your favorite flying jewels with these best purple flowers for hummingbirds.

A ruby-throated hummingbird hovers over a cardinal flower, sipping its nectar.
A ruby-throated hummingbird hovers over a cardinal flower

Cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis, Zones 3 to 9

This flower’s name was inspired by the hue of the robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Naturally found in areas with moist soil, cardinal flower will be at home in rain gardens or along water features.

hummingbird on coneflower
Hummingbirds on purple coneflower

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea, Zones 3 to 8

Here’s a long-blooming plant with pinkish purple flowers that dazzle early summer through mid-fall. Drought and deer tolerant and low maintenance once established, purple coneflower reseeds itself in the garden every year.

Northeastern Native Plants for Hummingbirds

The Ruby Throated Hummingbird (archilochus Colubris)
Ruby-throated hummingbird on butterfly weed

Fun fact: Ruby-throats are the only hummingbirds to nest east of the Mississippi River. Encourage backyard visits by growing a few of these Northeast-friendly picks with essential nectar sources.

Butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3 to 10

This common meadow plant’s bold orange star-shaped blooms make it a beautiful cut flower. But leave plenty for the hummingbirds, as each clump offers a bounty of nectar (and butterfly weed also serves as a host plant for monarchs).

old fashioned flowers, plants for rocky soil
Eastern red columbine

Eastern red columbine

Aquilegia canadensis, Zones 3 to 8

A woodland wildflower with nodding red and yellow bell-like flowers, this perennial peaks in spring just when hummingbirds are making their return journeys to the U.S.

A ruby-throated hummingbird flying around with a trumpet honeysuckle bloom on its beak.
Trumpet honeysuckle

Trumpet honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens, Zones 4 to 9

Boasting trumpet-shaped flowers that are red on the outside and yellow inside, this popular vine’s nonaggressive growing nature makes it either an easy climber or ground cover.

Find even more vines to grow for hummingbirds.

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Ruby-throated hummingbird at jewelweed

Jewelweed

Impatiens capensis, Zones 2 to 11

A midsummer to fall bloomer with yellowish orange flowers speckled with red, it naturally thrives in moist, shady areas and can even outcompete invasive garlic mustard.

Southeastern Native Plants for Hummingbirds

250460377 1 Kim Mitas Bnb Bypc2020
Indian pink

Ruby-throated hummingbirds reign supreme in this region where native plants can take the heat. As a bonus, wandering black-chinned or rufous hummingbirds are sometimes seen in winter.

Indian pink

Spigelia marilandica, Zones 5 to 9

Truly dramatic red- and yellow-throated tubular flowers set the garden ablaze with color from late spring to summer. Extend the flowering season by removing spent blooms.

Canada lily

Lilium canadense, Zones 3 to 7

A summer stunner with as many as 20 red, orange or yellow blooms on one plant, it’s hard to miss this showy perennial at 3 to 8 feet tall.

Red buckeye

Aesculus pavia, Zones 4 to 8

Grown as a small tree or large shrub, this native is happy in full sun to part shade, though afternoon shade is recommended in areas with intense heat. Its tubular flowers impress in hues of orange to red in late spring.

Bnbbyc19 Nina Ehmer 2
Spotted bee balm

Spotted bee balm

Monarda punctata, Zones 3 to 9

Able to tolerate dry spells, this aromatic member of the mint family boasts rosettes of purple-spotted flowers that form a showy spike. Plant bee balm in full sun for a midsummer to early fall show.

Next, check out the top 10 hummingbird plants that grow in shade.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

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Envision an episode of your favorite workplace sitcom centering around a protagonist’s troubles, triumphs and, at times, failures. When it comes to TV, we love watching drama unfold. The next time your heart races at the sight of birds fighting, remember this comparison. The behavior is normal and showcases fascinating parallels between how birds and humans handle conflict.

Do fighting hummingbirds ever hurt each other?

Mindset Matters

European starlings birds fighting
Two European starlings, one adult and one juvenile engaged in a heated battle over the last bit of peanut suet.

The emotional upset we experience when witnessing our feathered friends fighting is called anthropomorphizing. That means we’re attributing common human characteristics or behaviors to them.

Humans’ social behavior is complex and nuanced. We present ourselves differently in various situations to achieve a conscious or subconscious goal.

Birds are bright, but ultimately they are fighting to survive. And while many of us dislike strife, birds do too! Both humans and birds go out of their way to avoid ruffling feathers.

Learn how to (safely) deter nuisance birds from perching.

Research on Birds Fighting

Northern Flickers
Northern flickers fighting among the branches, likely over the nearby food sources

When it comes to backyard battles, there are some consistent winners and losers. Eliot T. Miller, a Schmidt Science postdoctoral fellow based at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has studied birds’ interactions extensively based on behavioral research from Project FeederWatch data. “The idea was to ultimately collect a big enough dataset that we could address some big-scale, macroecological questions,” Eliot says.

Through the analysis of more than 250,000 individual bird interactions, with flocks mostly excluded, what was once cloudy about the bird-world pecking order became clear.

“Findings show that if ‘Species A’ beats ‘Species B,’ and ‘Species B’ beats ‘Species C,’ then ‘Species A’ beats ‘Species C,’ ” Eliot says. “It’s a broadly linear dominance hierarchy. This allows us to predict how species act.”

One example, according to Eliot: “You might never see ‘Species A’ and ‘Species C’ interact because they live in separate regions, but you can closely infer their behavior.”

Learn how to get rid of blackbirds and grackles at feeders.

Dominant Birds Emerge

Baltimore orioles Fight, birds fighting
Two male Baltimore orioles wanted to eat from the same orange

When it comes to winning bird feuds, scientists determined that beaks and build are the best predictors. Common aggressors include blue jays, grackles, starlings and woodpeckers, who “get to be pretty big and pugnacious and have big bills, so they tend to win,” Eliot says. While others, such as red-winged blackbirds, aren’t the largest in size, their flock status gives them the power to win the feeder wars.

Size doesn’t always matter, however. “The biggest bullies are the hummingbirds, in my opinion,” says Bob Bryerton, program coordinator at the Plum Creek Nature Center and Monee Reservoir in Will County, Illinois. “They are super territorial.”

For blue jays, their behavior isn’t about territory. “In my experience, they are kind of shy and not particularly aggressive,” Bob says. “Because they are large, other birds move away from them, and they are loud and boisterous.”

Submissive Bird Species

blue cardinal
Blue jay and northern cardinal bickering over food

Some of the more passive birds include thrushes, thrashers and robins. Also low on the hierarchal list are rose-breasted grosbeak, painted bunting, longspur and snow bunting, which “tend to be really low, pound for pound,” on the hierarchy, Eliot says. “Doves are way lower than expected,” he says. Surprisingly, northern cardinals are not high in the ranking despite their size.

“With birds, things aren’t always fair,” Bob says. “People want birds to share, and birds are not good at sharing. They are going to take advantage of the resource they have and use it.” Whether in our backyards or in the wild, conflict happens—but there’s simply more room to spread out in the wild. “It’s uncontested that more aggression is happening around feeders than in the woods,” Bob says, but it does occur in natural areas too.

Meet the friendliest birds in America.

Stop Birds Fighting: Create a Sense of Harmony

calliope hummingbirds
Calliope hummingbirds

Fighting isn’t fun for anyone involved. “Even if you are going to win, it’s a costly, energy-consuming behavior,” Eliot says. To successfully support all birds, consider your feeder placement as if you’re planning a perfect puzzle. Have multiple types of feeders and seed options spread throughout the backyard to keep the birds under your wing.

For example, woodpeckers bend upside down to access ground-facing suet feeders, but competitors may not be willing to go belly-up. That tip alone may help rid you of blue jays or starlings if they’re overwhelming other feeder birds.

You can also connect with a wild bird feeding store. And talk with area greenhouses about native plants for a cost-effective approach to a balanced backyard.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

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2023 Photocontestvotingcallout
2023 Birds & Blooms Photo Contest finalists

Every year, we invite readers to send us their best bird, bloom and butterfly photos for our annual Birds & Blooms Photo Contest.

For our 2023 contest we received thousands of extraordinary entries. Our editorial team narrowed it down to 12 finalists. From there, we turned it over to you to vote for your favorites. We are happy to announce that our readers voted for Conrad Peloquin’s gorgeous and unique photo of a turtle and a butterfly as the grand prize winner.

The Story Behind the Winning Photo

Bnbpc23 Conrad Peloquin[1] Copy

In his original contest submission, Conrad said, “While I find this shot special in its own right, it is the story behind the shot that makes it even better. The story begins years earlier. My wife would spot what she deemed to be a good photo, and when alerting me to it, if I didn’t agree, I’d say, ‘Nah, it’s just a bird on a branch… now if it had a butterfly on his nose, that would be a good shot,’ ‘Nah, it’s just an alligator head, nothing special… now if it had a butterfly on his nose, that would be a good shot.’ This fun banter has gone on for years. It is always my nice way of saying that my wife’s visually interesting potential photo is not to my liking.

Conrad continues, “Fast forward to recently. While we were on a river boat in Costa Rica, our guide was pointing out interesting things. At one point he said, ‘There is a turtle on a log up ahead.’ To this, you can guess what I said. Onward 10 minutes, and our guide again said there was a turtle with a butterfly on his nose ahead. My wife and I laughed. He continued to tell us how butterflies land on turtles’ to get salt. Again, we laughed, as we thought he was embellishing. Then, we saw it! We couldn’t believe it. Our guide hadn’t been joking at all. Now, I tell my wife that her uninteresting shots need to have two butterflies on the nose.”

Check out the 2023 Spring Birding Moments video contest winners.

How to Enter Your Photo

Thanks for the thousands of Birds & Blooms readers who submitted entries and voted for their favorite pictures in the 2023 Photo Contest. Here’s some more exciting news! We have even more contests planned, including the 2024 Photo Contest.

Check our contests page for more details on how to enter upcoming and current contests and to read the official rules.

Next, don’t miss the amazing winner of the 2022 Birds & Blooms Photo Contest.

mountain bluebird
Adult mountain bluebird

The birds in our gardens or local parks can feel like old friends after a while. It may seem as if we’re seeing the same individuals year after year—and that may be true because often they stay faithful to their home territory. But it can lead us to wonder: How long do birds live? That question can be surprisingly hard to answer.

How Long Do Birds Live in Captivity?

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Blue-and-yellow macaw in a Kentucky zoo

After a bird reaches its adult plumage, it’s impossible to tell how old it is just by looking at it. But some zoos and aviaries keep records of individual birds, which means we can track their ages.

One example: A pink cockatoo (a type of Australian parrot) arrived at the Brookfield Zoo near Chicago in 1934. When he died in 2016, he was at least 83 years old. It’s also been claimed that some other parrots, especially large ones like cockatoos and macaws, have reached over 100 years old. Some probably have, but it’s difficult to be sure without complete documentation.

Birds in good zoos, protected from predators and with access to veterinary care, may live longer than those in the wild. Aside from large parrots, some other zoo birds that have lived more than 60 years include flamingos and Andean condors.

How Long Do Birds Live in the Wild?

Laysan Albatross (phoebastria Immutabilis), how long do birds live
Laysan albatrosses

Most of what we know about life spans of wild birds comes from banding studies. A numbered band placed on a bird’s leg makes it possible to identify the bird. Currently, the oldest known wild bird is Wisdom, a banded Laysan albatross that returns every year to her nest on Midway Atoll in the North Pacific. Even though she’s more than 70 years old, she has continued to raise young in recent years.

Banding records tell us of other birds with long life spans in the wild. Sandhill cranes and bald eagles can live more than 35 years. Canada geese, Atlantic puffins and some large gulls might reach more than 30 years old. Mallards, great horned owls and mourning doves can live longer than 25 years.

For most small songbirds, the maximum known life spans are between eight and 15 years. But the average life spans for all these birds are shorter than the all-time records.

How long do hummingbirds live?

Does Bird Size Affect Lifespan?

Nesting Bald Eagles, how long do birds live
Larger birds, such as bald eagles, generally raise fewer broods per year than songbirds.

As shown by these examples, bigger birds tend to live the longest. But there are exceptions. Birds like grouse and pheasants that live on the ground tend to have shorter life spans. Wild turkeys, weighing up to 20 pounds, seldom live much longer than 10 years, and the same is true for tiny hummingbirds.

Long-lived birds often reproduce very slowly. A pair of albatrosses or condors will raise no more than one chick every one or two years, so the adults have to live a long time to leave enough offspring to maintain their populations.

By contrast, many small songbirds raise two or three broods yearly, laying four or five eggs in every clutch. While the birds in our gardens and at our feeders may live only a few years, their descendants will keep us company for a long time in the future.

Find out what types of birds mate for life.

How to Help Birds Live Longer

251865571 1 Ryan Terry Bnb Bypc2020
American robin fledgling

The most dangerous time in the lives of many songbirds is just after they leave the nest. You can make a space for these vulnerable fledglings by planting dense low shrubs, avoiding using lawn chemicals and not allowing house cats to roam outdoors.

If you see a baby bird on the ground, it’s best to stay back and leave it alone; the parent birds are probably nearby.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

What Does a Costa’s Hummingbird Look Like?

costa's hummingbird
Look for a bright purple head and throat to identify an adult male Costa’s hummingbird

Measuring only 3½ inches long, the Costa’s hummingbird is a pint-sized delight in its arid habitats, weighing in at only one-tenth of an ounce.

The male has a hunched appearance with a stubby tail, and is easily identified by its green back and iridescent purple on its head and around its throat. “This is a very small species of hummingbird, all-green back with no rufous (brown) coloration. The underside is light colored, light gray on the flanks to white on the belly, and, in females, a white chin. Adult males have a brilliant purple throat and crown (top of head),” says Christopher Clark, assistant professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside.

Christopher says the Costa’s is most easily confused with the Anna’s hummingbird, which is larger. “Male Anna’s have a magenta throat and crown, rather than purple, and the belly of both sexes is grayer in Anna’s, less white. If you don’t get a good look at a bird, it can be very hard to tell whether it is Costa’s or Anna’s.”

Meet more types of hummingbirds found in the United States.

Female Costa’s Hummingbird

Bbxjj14 Luisadaniel
Female Costa’s hummingbirds are less colorful than males.

The green and white females look similar but lack the bold purple throat and head feathers of the males. To identify them, look for a gray cheek patch and a white eyebrow.

Juvenile

baby costas hummingbird
Young male Costa’s just beginning to show a purple throat patch

Birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman say, “Young male hummingbirds are tricky to identify, because they’re often somewhere between the appearance of a female and an adult male.”

Reader Steve Dummermuth Jr. asks, “I took this photo (above) near Scottsdale, Arizona. I think it’s an immature male, but is it a black-chinned or an Anna’s?”

Kenn and Kimberly say, “We think this is a young male Costa’s hummingbird for several reasons. The dark outline of the throat patch, extending down and back below the eye, is very typical of Costa’s at this stage, and so is the patch of pinkish purple on the lower throat. Also, the breast and sides are clear whitish—most Anna’s and black-chinneds show more of a gray-green wash on the sides.”

juvenile costa's hummingbird
Juvenile Costa’s hummingbird

“One of my favorite photos ever was of this young Costa’s hummingbird (above) just getting in his beautiful feathers,” says reader Lisa Swanson.

Call and Sounds

Male Costa’s hummingbirds are regular singers, making a thin, piercing whistle. With other species, the most common sounds are aggressive calls, which resemble chattering or squealing. You’ll hear them when several hummingbirds are gathered near a food source such as a sugar-water feeder.

Bird songs courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Courtship Displays

Christopher says the Costa’s unique breeding ritual involves a male flying directly in front of a female, flaring his purple feathers and creating the appearance of a baby octopus on his head. Another display entails repeated looping dives on either side of the female while singing. Christopher says their song is of a remarkably high frequency, and their narrow feathers make a practically identical sound.

A male Costa’s hummingbird can amplify the sound of his tail feathers by 11 decibels by directing the angle of those feathers toward the female during the courtship rituals.

“A male performs shuttle displays in which he flies back and forth right in front of the female with the iridescent purple gorget flared, so that he looks like an amazing little star. He also does a dive in which he ascends 100 feet up in the air and then descends in a huge oval, making a high pitched eeeEEEEEeeee! sound with his tail as he dives,” Christopher says.

Heart Rate

Female Costa's Hummingbird With Wings Forward
Female Costa’s in flight

During normal daily activity, the heart rate of Costa’s hummingbirds ranges between 500 and 900 beats per minute. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, the birds enter a torpor, and their heart rate slows to around 50 beats per minute.

Nesting Habits

Like other types of hummingbirds, the female Costa’s does all of the nest building and parenting work herself.

“After mating, the female goes off on her own,” Christopher says. Combining bits of leaves, lichen and bark, she creates a cupped nest with a 11/4-inch diameter, and “she’ll use a bunch of spiderwebs to glue the nest together.” Inside, there is fluff to keep the eggs warm.

Christopher says she’ll lay two eggs the size of jelly beans that weigh 0.4 grams apiece. “Each egg equals 20% of her body mass and is incubated for 14 to 18 days.”

After hatching, the chicks are fed insects by the female for the first two weeks. “The last week, she will feed them nectar,” Christopher says.

He notes that where people are providing consistent food sources, like feeders and gardens, the birds may extend their breeding season and begin nesting as early as the fall months, enabling them to raise multiple broods in a year.

Learn more about the fascinating life of a female hummingbird.

How to Attract Costa’s Hummingbirds

costas hummingbird
Costa’s hummingbird perched on a bird bath

To catch a glimpse of these vivacious hummingbirds, put up one or two sugar-water feeders and add some native plants to your landscape. “People in the desert do have them in their backyard,” Christopher says. “These birds love feeders.”

As for nectar plants to attract them, he says Costa’s are attracted to chuparosa and ocotillo shrubs, but “there are a lot of nonnatives that they love. Salvias, such as Mexican sage, are favorites,” he says.

Then listen for their distinctive high-pitched call or watch for the male’s flashy violet facial markings.

Range and Migration

248156454 1 Stephanie Mehmed Bialowicz Bnbhc20 Costa's
Costa’s hummingbird in Palm Springs, California

To see these birds, you’ll need to look in the southwestern states.

Partly residing in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts in March and April, Costa’s thrive in the heat, says Christopher. However, they wander toward the sagebrush scrub communities of coastal California to escape the most intense heat beginning in May.

Christopher says, “They breed in the winter, starting in low elevation Sonoran desert. Later in the spring (April) they shift to sage scrub habitat. When the breeding season ends by late June, they wander. It’s not clear how far they go, or whether this wandering should be considered to be an actual migration. In some places, they remain all year-round. They return to their breeding areas in approximately November, when the chuparosa flowers begin to bloom in the desert.”

How Did the Costa’s Hummingbird Get Its Name?

hummingbirds hot weather
This species was named after a French nobleman.

It was named in honor of Louis Marie Pantaléon Costa, Marquis de Beauregard, a French nobleman. The bird was collected on an expedition of the French ship Vénus, which stopped in Baja, California, and a French hummingbird biologist, Jules Bourcier, named it after the Marquis.

Costa’s Hummingbird Hotspot

Tohono Chul Park lies within the Sonoran Desert in Tucson, Arizona. This park provides easy walking trails and gardens to view some of the 140 bird species that visit the 49-acre site. A hummingbird garden attracts Anna’s, broad-billed and Costa’s hummingbirds year-round to sip nectar from salvia, desert willow and other plants. Migration brings rufous, broad-tailed, calliope and black-chinned hummers.

Why Trust Us

For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brandhas been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

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