Hobbies And Interests
Broad-billed Hummingbird
The broad-billed hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris) adult male has a dark blue chin, red beak and white vent area. The female has a green chin, white to gray on the belly and only has red at the base of the beak. However, birdwatchers will only rarely spot this species in Kern County, reports David Allen Sibley in "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America."
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Another rare visitor to Kern County, the violet-crowned hummingbird (Amazilia violiceps) typically stays farther south. It's named for having a violet crown. Females and males look alike.
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Summer residents in Kern county include the black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri). Males have a bright purple throat and black beak, while females look similar to the broad-billed hummingbird female, except for having an all-black beak.
Anna's Hummingbird
You will easily spot Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) in the summer at your bird feeders. Many Anna's hummingbirds don't migrate, making them the species you are most likely to see in the winter as well. You can identify the male of this species by its red head, face and chin and the female by the small red patch at the center of its throat.
Costa's Hummingbird
Costa's hummingbirds (Calypte costae) migrate north to Kern county from Baja and coastal Mexico in the summer. Both males and females have a purple throat with purple bands that extend down to the shoulders.
Calliope Hummingbird
You'll probably only spot the Calliope hummingbird (Stellula calliope) in this region during the summer and fall migrations. Their migration takes them from Mexico to the northwestern U.S. into Canada for the summer and back to Mexico for the winter. The males have a streaked red chin and throat, and both males and females have yellow sides.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Another rare sighing in Kern County would be the broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus). It is similar in appearance to the calliope hummingbird, but with some red-orange coloring at the base of the tail that the calliope lacks. Also, the male of the broad-tailed lacks the streaking in its red chin.
Rufous Hummingbird
You'll see the rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) on its migration to and from western Canada and Alaska in the spring and fall. This species' male sports an overall orange color that's significantly brighter in the males than in the females.
Allen's Hummingbird
A summer resident of coastal California, the Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) passes through Kern County on its migration path. This species also has orange plumage. To differentiate it from the rufous hummingbird, look for a green back in the males and orange eyebrows in the females.