Plain-Capped Star Throat (1 Viewer)

T

Totah Sam

Member

• Aug 19, 2011

• #1

I live in northwestern New Mexico and I need to be dissuaded from believing I saw a Plain-Capped Star Throat at our feeder the other day. I know that the common thought is they never go further north than southern AZ and NM.

Has anyone ever heard of one going that far north? It almost looks like a tiny Tiny Roadrunner. Similar head shape and neck. Please call me a liar. I haven't seen it since. I'm wrong, right?

So far I've seen several Rufous, Black-chinned, Broad-wings, and cameo appearance from an Anna's Hummingbird.

 

Last edited: Aug 19, 2011

J

Joanna48

Well-known member

• Aug 20, 2011

• #2

I believe it is possible. I am in central Az, 90 mins south of Flag.,1 hr north of Phx. Not too far from us is a fish hatchery and for years now its been visited by magnificents and star throats at their feeders. I have not seen the star throats but have seen the magnificents. Other birders have witnessed both. Neither of these hummers are supposed to be in this area.

 

Birdingcraft

Well-known member

• Aug 22, 2011

• #3

Yes, it is certainly possible. Please try and get a photo if you can and post it here!

 

T

Totah Sam

Member

• Aug 28, 2011

• #4

Some new photos but no Star-Throat

I'm trying really hard with my limited camera skills to get a really good picture of my little darlings. Here are a few NOT so good ones.

 

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Lisa W

I really need to get out and bird more

Staff member

Supporter

• Aug 29, 2011

• #5

Hi, nice photos, but I don't see a Plain-capped Starthroat in there.

 

T

Totah Sam

Member

• Aug 29, 2011

• #6

Lisa W said:

Hi, nice photos, but I don't see a Plain-capped Starthroat in there.

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I've only seen it once.

Here are various species I just took about half an hour ago. You'll see a Broad-Tail, Black-Chinned and couple of Rufous troublemakers.

 

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Lisa W

I really need to get out and bird more

Staff member

Supporter

• Aug 29, 2011

• #7

Ah, my mistake I thought you were saying the photos were of a Starthroat.

 

T

Totah Sam

Member

• Aug 29, 2011

• #8

Lisa W said:

Ah, my mistake I thought you were saying the photos were of a Starthroat.

Click to expand...

I wish I had a better camera. :: sigh ::

I started taking the pictures after I saw the alleged Star-Throat. I'm still not sure if it was one or not. But it sure looked different than the rest of them.

 

Birdingcraft

Well-known member

• Aug 31, 2011

• #9

Hopefully the mystery bird will show up again sometime.

 

C

costaricafinca

Well-known member

• Oct 30, 2011

• #10

Plain-capped star throat

I took this photo, on a very overcast Sunday morning of a Plain-capped star throat, showing just a little of the red 'star'

 

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Lisa W

I really need to get out and bird more

Staff member

Supporter

• Oct 30, 2011

• #11

I took this photo, on a very overcast Sunday morning of a Plain-capped star throat, showing just a little of the red 'star'

Click to expand...

Splendid photo of this fellow. The white on the undertail feathers is distinctive also.

 

S

softbill997

New member

• Dec 1, 2011

• #12

wow

 

T

tielfan

Member

• Dec 14, 2011

• #13

I'm not convinced that the bird in the photo is a plain-capped starthroat. It seems to me that the bill is too short; there is red on top of the head; the breast isn't the right color; I'm not too sure about the tail feathers but I think there's too much white in the picture; their usual range is Mexico with occasional sightings in SW US and they are not normally found in Costa Rica. There are other starthroat species and maybe this bird is one of them.

To my knowledge, the plain-capped starthroat has never been recorded even as far north as Tucson, so I seriously question the annual appearance of these birds at a fish hatchery near Flagstaff. If this was true the place should be swarming with birders. Birders come streaming in when one of these birds shows up in Patagonia which is in their typical range.

Magnificent hummingbirds near Flagstaff are believable. It's a bit outside their typical range, but there have been numerous sightings of them in Colorado and they've even been seen in Wyoming and Minnesota. They like high altitudes and breed on top of Mt Lemmon which is on the northern edge of Tucson and has an elevation of 9,000 feet.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2011