Costa's Hummingbird Original Watercolor 8.5 x 11in

• Watercolor on 8.5 x 11 in Watercolor Paper.
• All Erin Steff Originals come hand signed with a certificate of authenticity.
• Painting will be shipped after April 30th.

I was researching hummingbirds and found this amazing little sound clip of the Costa's hummingbird singing with its high pitched whistle and clicks. The recording showed the sonography in little fuzzy lines of vibrations. I decided I had to include that in the background of my painting. I am always looking for ways to bring my animals to life and make them more real. How can you care about a creature if you’ve never seen it before? A bird’s song is so much a part of its soul that I decided to try and capture it in my painting.

A little about the Costa’s Hummingbird: This little guy lives between Mexico and Northern California but they’ve also been documented in southern Oregon. Specifically near the Rogue River. Their purple plumage can stick straight out in a fantastic display during courtship. Only the males have this violet plumage and they use it like a peacock, puffing out the feathers to attract mates. They are tiny! With a max size of 3.5 inches and a weight 3 grams (the equivalent of 3 paper clips)! They feed on desert flowers like the one depicted.