A male Black-chinned Hummingbird shows his purple throat patch (also known as a “gorget”) while hovering in a patch of desert honeysuckle (Anisacanthus thurberi).
The mature male Black-chinned Hummingbird looks like its head and throat are completely black … until the light hits it just right. Then you can see the flash of iridescent bright purple in the throat area.
Black-chinned Hummingbirds are small, about 3 inches long. The dark head and small size make this hummingbird relatively easy to identify. They pump their tails while hovering and are fast flyers. You can hear the distinctive buzzing hum made by the adult males’ wings as they maneuver around a feeder at high speed or when they fly off abruptly.
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