The Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) formerly bred only in the southern two thirds of California and the Baja regions with post-breeding dispersal in many geographic directions. Their breeding range increased north and eastward and by the late 1940s and 1950s, wintering birds were appearing on southern Vancouver Island with the first confirmed breeding record there in 1958. They have now become year round residents in southwestern BC with many breeding records from southern Vancouver Island and the lower Fraser Valley. The first interior record was from Penticton in October of 1974 with scattered post-breeding records as far north as Terrace and east to the West Kootenay and Revelstoke. Interior breeding records were not confirmed when Birds of BC, Vol. 2 was published in 1990 but an adult with fledged young was seen in 1980 at 108 Mile House. They may have bred locally there but the possibility of them being migrants cannot be ruled out as no nest was found. I think confirmed breeding or nesting has since been documented in the South Okanagan.

male Anna’s Hummingbird

female Anna’s Hummingbird

Immature male Anna’s Hummingbird

Immature male gorget

I first became aware of Anna’s hummingbird in Kamloops in October of 1981 when a bird frequented a feeder in downtown Kamloops until Dec. 31. Cold weather set in and the bird was not seen after that. In November of 1985, another bird was attending a feeder in Kamloops and was enticed inside where it was fed a diet of sugar water and protein supplements which allowed it to survive inside until its release the following spring. Over the next 5 winters until 1990, I learned of a variety of other Anna’s at winter feeders around Kamloops, but none seemed to survive the cold winter snaps we would get early in the new year. In June of 1991, a male bird described coming to a feeder in Westsyde was likely an Anna’s hummingbird, but photos were not taken and experienced observers never saw the bird. This led to renewed suspicions that local breeding may be occurring. But were summer birds as a result of successful overwintering or arrivals as spring migrants? No one could be sure.

For a couple of decades after that, I heard little about Anna’s hummingbirds around Kamloops save for the odd report of birds in summer fitting the description of males. Their breeding status remains tantalizingly undocumented. But what of these birds that arrive as post-breeding wanderers in the fall and find feeders? Can they survive our deep winter cold snaps? Until this year, we have had no proof that they could, although a couple of years ago, I watched a bird at a feeder when it was -20 C but unfortunately, the operator took the feeder down and the bird was not seen again.

However, in the fall of 2020, there were a handful of reports of Anna’s hummingbirds at feeders scattered around Kamloops. I was fortunate to photograph some of them and one lady in particular made a concerted effort to feed her male and female birds throughout the worst of the weather (see photos.)  The immature male bird above was photographed at another feeder in October and the female eventually vanished from the feeder where both sexes were present.  But the adult male persisted in coming although not every day, causing anxiety when he was not present and relief when he returned. He may have found a second feeder but with renewed efforts to create a warm shelter at the feeder operated by a friend of club member, Margaret Graham, the male kept returning and made it through our coldest period this year. As of March 20, 2021, he was still visiting the feeder although less frequently. This was the first documented occurrence of an Anna’s hummingbird surviving the winter at Kamloops. Now with a bit of luck, he will find a mate and nesting will occur. Finding of a nest would be another first for our area.

Special thanks to Kathy Lamoureaux for her extreme dedication and skills at keeping this hummingbird alive all winter. If any one else has information about birds overwintering here, it would be most appreciated if they would contact me at howierick@gmail.com.