humminbird
Well-known member
Would appreciate comments on this bird.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/905804/PEOTU-DSC_0136small.jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/905804/PEOTU-DSC_0136small.jpg
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Hummingbird in Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas 25 miles west of Brownsville (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter humminbird
- Start date
Microtus
Maryland USA (he/him)
There is a female Blue-throated Hummingbird at Weslaco, Texas. Someone on the Texas listserv posted that there is a long-billed subspecies in north-eastern Mexico, and also that there was some concern that Weslaco hummer had a bill that seemed long for Blue-throated (relative to the birds that show up in Arizona and far west Texas).
humminbird
Well-known member
The bird is in Hidalgo County and this is in fact the bird in question. I guess Blue-throated is the only bird that makes sense, and I have seen Blue-throated in the area before (once). I am still very bothered by the long bill and somewhat by other coloration I see in the throat on some photos (may be artifacts so I want to wait until I get to a better photo editor).
Birdingcraft
Well-known member
Bill does seem a bit long but looks like Blue throated to me; can see prominent white tips to outer recs ruling out Magnificent and Amethyst-throated. Dark tail with brinzish rump also not- indicative of Mag..
Tz'unun
Featherless Biped
It also doesn't have the tawny throat of a female Amethyst-throated.
Checking the Birds of North America account, documented bill length in L. c. clemenciae, the subspecies found from southeastern Nuevo Leon and southwestern Tamaulipas south, is 22.1 to 24.3 mm, compared to 21.8 to 23.2 in the northwestern subspecies L. c. bessophilus and 20.3 to 22.2 in phasmorus of western Texas, Coahuila, and western Nuevo Leon. It also notes that the underparts of clemenciae are paler than in phasmorus, which also seems consistent with this photo.
Cool record! I wonder if any of the other eastern and central Texas records of Blue-throated have been photographed well enough to make a guess at subspecies?
Checking the Birds of North America account, documented bill length in L. c. clemenciae, the subspecies found from southeastern Nuevo Leon and southwestern Tamaulipas south, is 22.1 to 24.3 mm, compared to 21.8 to 23.2 in the northwestern subspecies L. c. bessophilus and 20.3 to 22.2 in phasmorus of western Texas, Coahuila, and western Nuevo Leon. It also notes that the underparts of clemenciae are paler than in phasmorus, which also seems consistent with this photo.
Cool record! I wonder if any of the other eastern and central Texas records of Blue-throated have been photographed well enough to make a guess at subspecies?
humminbird
Well-known member
Thanks Sheri. That basically wraps it up for me.
When I found the bird I was shocked that, as open as it was nobody was there watching! I was hoping against hope for something else but it still gave me some great photos of a species I have seen rarely previously.
Mark Klym
Bastrop, TX
When I found the bird I was shocked that, as open as it was nobody was there watching! I was hoping against hope for something else but it still gave me some great photos of a species I have seen rarely previously.
Mark Klym
Bastrop, TX
