The Plain-capped Starthroat the largest Arizona hummingbird, about 4.3–4.7 inches long and roughly 7 grams, with metallic bronze-green upperparts, a long, straight bill, a bold white stripe behind the eye, gray throat, and a pinkish-red gorget that flashes brilliantly at the right angle. In Arizona, it’s a casual to rare late-spring and summer visitor—most years one individual turns up in riparian canyons of the Madrean Sky Islands, first recorded at Nogales in September 1969—and no nesting has ever been confirmed in the state. Though irregular, these starthroats will visit backyard feeders and desert gardens when nectar is plentiful. The best place to look for them is at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, 5255 E. Spring Rd, Hereford.
