The male Anna’s Hummingbird is a looker in every meaning of that word. He is good-looking and good AT looking. Herewith some evidence from a cold February morning, far north of the bird’s range even 50 years. He seems to be taking advantage of global warming. 
The male Anna’s is the only hummer that regularly winters this far north and away from the mild coastal weather. We regularly get night temps into the 20s here from December through mid-March. He uses torpor to get through the really cold times, then rouses himself for a sunny bask when possible. The females still migrate southward for winter so they can more easily add body weight for the coming breeding season when the males give no aid beyond fertilizing the eggs.
I’m newly interested in the birds of Southern Oregon. I live in Ashland, OR. I have seen a number of hummingbirds this winter. I have been making friends with a pair of Western Scrub Jays who now come when I call them and will eat seed only an inch from my hand.
I really enjoy reading your posts.
~Gerean Pflug for “The Animal Spirits”
By: theanimalspirits on February 8, 2013
at 8:11 pm