FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The calliope hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) is a tinyNorth American bird. Calliope means 'beautiful voice', and calliope hummingbirds get their name from Greek mythology, representing eloquence. In Greek mythology, Calliope is popularly known as the goddess of poetry and was called 'the chief of muses' by the famous authors Hesiod and Ovid.
It is quite easy to identify male and female calliope hummingbirds as males have red throats and dark tails. Males court female birds by flapping their wings and diving at high speeds, forming a U-shaped dive to impress the females. A female hummingbird raises her young all by herself. She alone builds the nest, lays two eggs, and incubates them for around 16 days until they hatch. After the eggs hatch, the female hummingbird feeds and takes care of them for 20 days. The young birds mature during this time and are ready to take flight and live independently right after.
Here on our page, we have lots of amazing facts on the calliope hummingbird that everyone will enjoy. If you like these, do read our hummingbird and bee hummingbird facts too.
Calliope hummingbirds are the smallest North American hummingbird species. These birds are also the smallest bird in the world to migrate such a long distance.
The calliope hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) is a hummingbird species that belongs to the class of Aves.
The exact number of calliope hummingbirds is unknown, but they are listed as Least Concern, which means their population is not decreasing. These birds are safe out in the wild and are in abundance. There exist around 300 different hummingbird species, and the calliope hummingbird is one of them.
Calliope hummingbirds are native birds of Canada and North America. This species of hummingbirds is found in rocky mountains and open shrub habitats, including dense forests and mountain meadows of the U.S.A., New Mexico, and British Columbia. This bird species loves to reside between the branches of pine-oak trees.
A calliope hummingbird's habitat includes open areas like rocky mountains, dense forests, and pine-oak tree zones. In Washington, these birds migrate once every season, where they leave their breeding areas and migrate to Mexico. They spend their winters in Mexico and come back to their breeding ground in Washington by late April or May.
Calliope hummingbirds are not social animals and are always found in solitary spaces such as mountains, shrubbery, and dense forests. These birds interact with each other only during their breeding season. After breeding, they separate, the male vanishes, and the female calliope hummingbird builds a nest and raises her young on her own.
There is no conclusive data on the lifespan of this tiny North American bird in the wild, but it is said that these birds can live for five to six years in captivity. This hummingbird out in the wild is assumed to live for less time than in captivity.
This smallest species of hummingbird mates once a year between the start of April and the end of June. Adult males court female birds by flapping their wings and diving at high speeds, forming a U-shaped dive to impress these females. After the couple mates, the adult male separates from the female and goes his own way. Therefore, the female calliope hummingbird is the only family to her offspring and becomes a lone parent. Calliope hummingbird nesting is made possible by the females too, who prepare their nest for their new family. After building a nest, they go on to lay two eggs and incubate them for up to 16 days. About 20 days after birth, the young birds are old enough to start flying.
This hummingbird is not considered endangered and is given the status of Least Concern. These birds are small and cute and are considered non-impactful to humans. Still, they do face some threats due to climatic change, habitat loss, an increase in pesticides, and the replacement of native and typical vegetation.
The typical calliope hummingbird size is very tiny, making them the smallest hummingbird species. These birds have a green color crown and back, with white color underparts. Females and males are easily distinguished as males have red-colored steaks on their throat and dark-colored tail feathers, while females have dark-colored streaks on their throat and tail feathers with white-tipped ends.
* Please note that this is an image of a hummingbird, not a calliope hummingbird specifically. If you have an image of a calliope hummingbird please let us know at [email protected]
The world's smallest bird species is very cute and highly adorable. Calliope hummingbird tail feathers, with white-tipped ends, and their red-streaked throat feathers both look very attractive. It is also super cute if you get to see a male calliope hummingbird doing a U-shaped dive to impress a female bird during their breeding season.
The communication of this species of hummingbirds is similar to many other birds. They produce sounds known as vocalization and chittering sounds. The male calliope hummingbird call is a very high-pitched noise.
The average size of both males and females is 2.8-3.9 in (7-10 cm) long. They weigh roughly 0.071-0.106 oz (1.9-2.8 g). The calliope hummingbird is 10 times smaller than the common cat and is the smallest hummingbird in North America.
The average speed of these birds has been recorded as 18.6 mph (30 kmph). A male calliope hummingbird flies between 5,000-6,000 miles (8,047-9,656 km) each year. They migrate to Mexico during the winter season, where they are able to feed on the fresh nectar of flowers.
The average calliope hummingbird weight is 0.07-0.10 oz (2-3 g). This low weight is due to their tiny size.
There are no specific names for adult male and adult female calliope hummingbirds.
Young calliope hummingbirds are called chicks. Calliope hummingbird chicks are raised only by the female who builds the nest on her own. The female feeds her chicks nectar from various flowers as well as small insects for nourishment. The female calliope hummingbird cares for her chicks for 20-21 days before they are old enough to finally take flight.
These small birds feed on nectar from various attractive flowers (including cup-shaped or isolated tubular flowers). They do this with great precision, fueled by their extraordinary wing-flapping and hovering technique. Calliope hummingbirds also feed on tiny insects like ants, when not feeding on nectar from flowers.
Not really, calliope hummingbirds are found commonly in southwestern regions of North America. These birds are common in these regions and are often seen in open forests and mountains. They also migrate to Mexico during winter to obtain fresh nectar.
Calliope hummingbirds cannot be a good pet as these birds feed on the nectar of flowers and small insects from forests and therefore need to live in the wild. These birds are also famous for their migrating behavior, which is, of course, not possible in captivity.
The name 'hummingbird' is given to these birds because of the humming and buzzing sounds that their fast-beating wings make when they zoom past human ears.
Hummingbirds are known to be the only species of birds that can fly both forward and backward!
Although calliope hummingbirds do not have a sense of smell, they are attracted visually to the vivid colors of a beautiful flower.
This small species of hummingbirds produces humming, buzzing, chirping, and tweeting sounds, both vocally and from the movement of their wings. That being said, the sound of calliope hummingbirds is much quieter than that of other hummingbird species, perhaps due to their tiny size.
Calliope hummingbirds are North American birds who are found in their typical breeding areas, such as tree branches and shrubberies in North America, British Columbia, Mexico, Canada, and California more specifically.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds, including the rufous hummingbird or the Amazon parrot.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Calliope hummingbird coloring pages.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calliope_hummingbird
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Calliope_Hummingbird/id
https://abcbirds.org/bird/calliope-hummingbird/
https://animalia.bio/calliope-hummingbird
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Calliope_Hummingbird/overview
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.