More hummingbirds for ID

[Lisa W]

I am totally stumped - or talking myself out of IDing these guys. The pictures were taken at Ash Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains of Southeast Arizona on Saturday the 23rd of September. Any help is appreciated. My thoughts are:
no idea on 1 and 2 - same bird, 3 and 4 an adult male Anna's?
Help again please!

[melaniecb]

I think they're all Anna's...immature males. Their gorgets can appear coppery in certain light and the first two pictures I think maybe his little gorget extension things haven't developed yet.

The only common occurances you'll find in Arizona are Black-chinned, Anna's, Broad-tailed, Rufous, or a Costa's.

You could possibly see a rare Magnificent, a Blue-throated, Calliope, or an Allen's.

Hope that helps!

Great photos by the way...

[Tz'unun]

The only common occurances you'll find in Arizona are Black-chinned, Anna's, Broad-tailed, Rufous, or a Costa's.

You could possibly see a rare Magnificent, a Blue-throated, Calliope, or an Allen's.
Actually, Melanie, what hummingbirds you'll find in Arizona depends almost entirely on knowing where and when to look. Lisa took these photos at one of the best hummingbird sites in the state, Ash Canyon B&B in the Huachuca Mountains. Anna's becomes the most common species in the canyons by this late in the season, but on an earlier visit Lisa might have seen 10 species, including Broad-billed and Lucifer. In July at Beatty's Guest Ranch in nearby Miller Canyon, Lisa might have seen 13 or 14 species, including White-eared, Violet-crowned, and Berylline. Even my own yard a few miles away in Bisbee has had at least 10 of the 18 species recorded in Arizona.

Lisa, I think you're right that the bird in the second two photos is a mature male Anna's, ready for the breeding season (which starts as early as October in the lower elevations). Melanie's correct that the bird in the other two is also an Anna's, a juvenile male based on his stage of molt.

[melaniecb]

I said "common"...

I also should have put an "ETC.." after the rare list...

I'll shut up now. :-O

[Lisa W]

Sheri and Melanie,
Thanks at least I got the mature male correct. The copper on the immature did stump me. By the way, I did see a white eared earlier this summer at Ramsey Canyon, and both a Magnificant and a Lucifer (both male and female) at Ash on the 23rd. I posted the female Lucifers picture, the male Lucifer and the Magnificant didn't present for a good photo (even worse than the back views of the others I've asked about.
Sheri, I've mentioned it before but I am in love with your field guide on hummers. It is the best, and when I can't ID them it is totally my ineptitude!
Thanks again, Ladies.

[Tz'unun]

Sheri, I've mentioned it before but I am in love with your field guide on hummers. It is the best, and when I can't ID them it is totally my ineptitude!
Thank you, Lisa. Just keep working at hummer ID - you're in the best possible area for it, and those "Aha!" moments are waiting for you.

[humminbird]

Thank you, Lisa. Just keep working at hummer ID - you're in the best possible area for it, and those "Aha!" moments are waiting for you.

And keep Sheri's guide handy. I had it right by the computer when I was looking at the other thread. I am sure that, had I picked it up and USED it, I would not have missed the tail and would have had one of those "Aha" minutes. Thanks for the lesson Sheri!

Mark Klym