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Hummingbird in winter (1 Viewer)

I have been feeding birds for years, But this year is the strangest I've ever seen. Not only do I seem to have a hummingbird here in the winter, he is orange, not green with white and a red throat like all hummingbirds I've ever seen. I would have thought they would freeze to death in the winter, this is something I've never seen in my life. Of course, i cannot feed them in the winter, as the feeders would burst when they freeze, but have put food out on the rare 40 or 50 degree day, I've only seen him eat there a couple of times this winter so far. Is this a hummingbird that someone cruelly painted orange and kept in the house or why is he here in february, He's been here since october, long after all the hummers go south. I live in Maine. Wouldn't he freeze to death in the winter here?
 
Sounds like it might be a Rufous Hummingbird which the east coast sees occasionally.

I usually get one a year along with my Ruby-throats.

BTW, A warm welcome to you from the entire staff here at BirdForum :t:
 
But in Maine? I'd think he'd freeze to death. What is he eating where nothing grows in the winter? I can't help but to wonder if someone keeps him as a pet illegally and painted him orange. Only ones i have ever seen without the red throat are females, and even they aren't orange. It's actually very pretty, but it cannot be good for the bird to be dyed. He comes around all the time and pecks at anything red, including my red cars. Red is like a magnet to him, I don't understand how he is surviving, especially seeing that we've been having a bitterly cold winter this year, Until February, it was too cold to snow, except for a warm day here and there. Really if the temperature is fifteen below, wouldn't he freeze to death being that little?
 
I've had winter hummers and yes, even though I'm down south, we had nights in the 20s while they were here.
 
I will add that I keep a hummer feeder up in the winter and when the hummer(s) are here in the cold I keep a large hooded light right over the feeder which gives some warmth.
 
Up here at night it's usually in the single digits or below zero, january average is 21 hi and 5 lo. Where is he getting food from? I'd put out feeders but they'd only burst. Right now average here is 29 hi and 11 lo.
 
I have been feeding birds for years, But this year is the strangest I've ever seen. Not only do I seem to have a hummingbird here in the winter, he is orange, not green with white and a red throat like all hummingbirds I've ever seen. I would have thought they would freeze to death in the winter, this is something I've never seen in my life. Of course, i cannot feed them in the winter, as the feeders would burst when they freeze, but have put food out on the rare 40 or 50 degree day, I've only seen him eat there a couple of times this winter so far. Is this a hummingbird that someone cruelly painted orange and kept in the house or why is he here in february, He's been here since october, long after all the hummers go south. I live in Maine. Wouldn't he freeze to death in the winter here?

I keep my feeder up all year for years and they stick around all that time. It even snowed this year, and when the feeder freezes up I just defrost the feeder and put new stuff in. It probably hopes any red will give it some sweets, fushias are a favorite.
 
But in Maine? I'd think he'd freeze to death. What is he eating where nothing grows in the winter? I can't help but to wonder if someone keeps him as a pet illegally and painted him orange. Only ones i have ever seen without the red throat are females, and even they aren't orange. It's actually very pretty, but it cannot be good for the bird to be dyed. He comes around all the time and pecks at anything red, including my red cars. Red is like a magnet to him, I don't understand how he is surviving, especially seeing that we've been having a bitterly cold winter this year, Until February, it was too cold to snow, except for a warm day here and there. Really if the temperature is fifteen below, wouldn't he freeze to death being that little?

It isn't dyed just because it is orange, probably a Rufous Hummingbird.https://www.redbubble.com/people/bluecornstudios/works/6057419-male-rufous-hummingbird-enjoying-a-morning-after-a-thunderstorm Just tap to skip ads and it goes straight to picture.Oh you live in maine so I seen a ruby throated humming bird picture that looks orange. I've seen them orange, red, pink, and would love to see a colliope with purple colors, live in the Northwest location.
 
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