Purple crowned Costa's Hummingbird has its "hyoid apparatus" inserted in flower to sip deep nectar

Hummingbirds have just about as much tongue as they have bill. And hummingbirds have the "hyoid apparatus" that allows them to stretch their tongues, almost doubling its normal length. This is helpful when a hummingbird inserts his long bill in an even longer flower!

It is generally agreed that some nectar producing flowers evolved along with hummingbirds, resulting in flowers whose shapes and sizes accommodate the characteristics of the hummingbird's bill size and shape. Hummingbird bills are as distinctive as the flowers upon which they feed. The size of the bills ranges from 1/2" to equal to their total body length (from tip of bill to tip of tail). They range from very straight to extremely curved. As is true with many hummingbirds that are generalist feeders and other hummers that are much more specific. Typically, specialists have uncommon highly curved bills to let them to reach nectar other birds and insects would be unable to reach. Almost all flowers that hummingbirds forage lack a landing place or perch so they depend on their ability to hover and feed. It's believed that nectar feeders with perches enable the hummers to conserve energy usually expended while foraging flowers.

The Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae) is very small. A mature adult grows to only 3 to 3½ inches in length. The male Costa's has a mainly green back and flanks, a small black tail and wings, and patches of white below the gorgeted throat and tail. The male Costa's Hummingbird's distinguishing feature is its vibrant purple cap and throat with the throat feathers flaring out and back behind its head. The female Costa's Hummingbird is not as distinct as the male, having grayish-green above with a white underbelly. Like all hummingbird species, the Costa's Hummingbird feeds on flower nectar and tiny insects it finds in the flower petals.

Odontonema strictum. Common Names: firespike, cardinal guard, scarlet flame. Family: Acanthaceae (acanthus Family). Frequently found in my neighborhood in Miami. Beautiful when the combs enlarge and dry.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
www.susanfordcollins.com

Taken on: December 2, 2018

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Costa's hummingbird

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Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

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Calypte costae

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Odontonema strictum. firespike

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Camera: Nikon D3100, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, 260mm (=390mm), ISO 560 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D3100
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:	260mm (35mm equivalent: 390mm)
ISO:	560
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.1.01
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