Help with ID please - Hummer in So Arizona (1 Viewer)

Tz'unun said:

It's that time of year again! This is a juvenile male Black-chinned as indicated by broad tawny edges on the crown and nape feathers plus a triangular tip on R5. A juvenile female Anna's would usually have dark mottling on the throat similar to this bird, but she would also have rounded outer tail feathers, more mottled underparts, a thicker neck, and a proportionally shorter, straighter bill.

Only adult male Broad-taileds have the modified outer primaries that create the wing trill, plus they're up in the mountains this time of year.

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Tz'unun said:

It's that time of year again! This is a juvenile male Black-chinned as indicated by broad tawny edges on the crown and nape feathers plus a triangular tip on R5. A juvenile female Anna's would usually have dark mottling on the throat similar to this bird, but she would also have rounded outer tail feathers, more mottled underparts, a thicker neck, and a proportionally shorter, straighter bill.

Only adult male Broad-taileds have the modified outer primaries that create the wing trill, plus they're up in the mountains this time of year.

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Geni3 said:

There are four hummer species here this summer, about 12 -15 total.

Two of these are male black-chinned (have seen no females) ... and the rest are [male, female, and juvenile] Anna's, Costa's, and broad-billed, in about equal numbers.

I only saw this bird once. (Photo below.) And I only had time to take this one picture. It was here for a few seconds -- and then gone.

At the time I saw it (just a quick glance) I thought it was a juvenile broad-billed. My impression was that it was larger than the Anna's, Costa's and black-chinned hummers and moved and acted like the broadbills do.

After seeing the picture though, I don't know what it is. Somehow it doesn't look like a juvenile at all -- more like an adult female. But which species? It's not an adult female broad-billed. Maybe a f. black-chinned?

I think it's probably a hummer that was just passing through and stopped to eat, since I haven't seen it again. But I'd really like to know what it is.

Help, anyone? Thanks!

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Great informative answer. But what is an R5 and where is it located in the picture?

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Lisa W said:

Hi, going to try and answer this without getting it wrong. the R stands for rectrice - tail feather. Hummingbirds have 10 numbered on each side from 1, innermost, thru 5, outermost. R5 is the last one in the picture that can be seen on the left side of the bird.
Hope this helps. Lisa

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Bobbo said:

Great picture by the way !!! :t:

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Everything that I know about the parts of a hummer is from one of Sheri Williamson's books.

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Geni3 said:

Backyard Sanctuary, I've looked on the Internet for a picture showing parts of a hummingbird too and haven't found one. There's some descriptive text about anatomy here:http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/anatomy.php

Everything that I know about the parts of a hummer is from one of Sheri Williamson's books. There's an excellent illustration with parts labelled in her Hummingbirds of North America. Check her post above and :

http://tzunun.home.mindspring.com/ and
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618024964/southeasternariz

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Lisa W said:

Hi, going to try and answer this without getting it wrong. the R stands for rectrice - tail feather. Hummingbirds have 10 numbered on each side from 1, innermost, thru 5, outermost. R5 is the last one in the picture that can be seen on the left side of the bird.
Hope this helps. Lisa

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Joanna48 said:

Thank you! and I just thought they were called tail feathers!

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Gretchen said:

This doesn't particularly show hummers or tail feathers, but there is an article in the Opus which helps with "the naming of parts" of a bird here.

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