[Chris D]

A friend just put this on Facebook. Recent shot. Foothills west of Yosemite.

[KenM]

Presumably Anna's would be the default Hummer...at this time of year at the location given.

However the bill although slightly fore-shortened appears curved, also the primaries seem to be equal or almost?..to tail length, and the breast appears to be clean and white!

Therefore I was considering Costa's or Black-chinned as potential candidates, although unsure of their range status, at (assuming it was taken recently?) this point in time.

cheers

[Geni3]

Originally Posted by Chris D

A friend just put this on Facebook. Recent shot. Foothills west of Yosemite.

Looks like a juvenile male Costa's hummer to me.

He's a little bit out of Costa's range (according to maps) but I've found range maps to be not terribly accurate. And several species of wandering hummers have been sighted in places where (and when) they "shouldn't" be.

[Chris D]

Thanks. I'd like some more looks / opinions.... Truely strange to have anything other than an 'Anna's' here (at my friend's place) presently - and they breed now..... Though, both Costa's and Callipoe occurr there. The former being (quite rare)......

[Geni3]

Originally Posted by Chris D

Thanks. I'd like some more looks / opinions.... Truely strange to have anything other than an 'Anna's' here (at my friend's place) presently - and they breed now..... Though, both Costa's and Callipoe occurr there. The former being (quite rare)......

Of course. I am not positive in my ID of your friend's bird.

Here is a fairly recent shot of one of my juvenile male Costa's for purposes of comparison. He fledged here in my yard, I see him every day, and he's not afraid of the camera.

He's molting in this pic and beginning to show some of his purple feathers, so may be a little bit older than your friend's bird. (Or the light may be different.)

I'll also post a pic of a juvenile Anna's male of about the same age.


There is noticeably more white on the Costa's, and they often have a sort of V-shaped white "bib" and speckles that start farther down and look like a vest. Sometimes that effect is more obvious in the adult males.

The Anna's hummer has more "speckles" and they go up farther. There is a narrow strip of white, but no "bib" effect — so there's much less white on the front.

(First pic is a juvenile male Costa's. The second and third are juvenile male Anna's. )

[Chris D]

Thanks. Really cool that you went through the trouble...............

[Geni3]

Originally Posted by Chris D

Thanks. Really cool that you went through the trouble...............

You're welcome. Always happy to help if I can. Tried to find a fluffed-up juvie male Costa's that would look JUST like your friend's, but most of my pics are still on backup DVDs right now — and not very well organized . (Computer crash, difficult file recovery.)

[Chris D]

today

[Geni3]

Originally Posted by Chris D

today

Nice shot, closer and clearer.

Here's interesting info and a better range map than most I've seen.
(Cornell U site has good Costa's info, but just a tiny map).


http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/...esert/cohu.htm (Click on 'range map,' under "Shortcuts" -- or use the link below to access it directly)

http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/...ohumap2008.htm