Is there a yellow-breasted hummingbird

jackdins · Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:31

On March 18 and 19 multiple up-close sightings
were made by four sober people of a yellow-breasted
hummingbird, somewhat larger than our ruby-throated
variety. I have not been able to find anything even
remotely close in my books.

He visited the same feeder several times both days,
taking long drinks. The color was bright yellow but
my wife noted that it looked a little orange to her when
he turned sideways in the bright sunlight, but agrees it
was a bright yellow in direct sun.

I now have a camera ready but he did not show up yesterday
nor so far today, March 21.

Location: Pensacola, Florida

Any ideas???

Jane Turner · Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:37

I seem to recall female Broad-tailed-and presumably related hummers have quite an orangey cast to their underparts, but I wouldn't describe them as "bright yellow".

http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/...DSC_2451FF.jpg

Michael Frankis · Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:52

Welcome to BirdForum!

Any hummer can get bright yellow on its breast if it visits flowers that get deposit pollen on it while feeding. I believe plants like Hibiscus are 'designed' to do this - long stamens that brush the hummer while it probes for nectar, then when it visits the next flower, some of the pollen rubs back off onto the (slightly sticky) stigma, to fertilise the seeds.

Obviously if it was clearly larger than Ruby-throat, it will be a different species though.

Michael

gthang · Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:00

How about a Rufous Hummingbird?

Katy Penland · Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:04

Male rufous hummingbird, which is being seen with more regularity in Florida, has a bright gorget that can be quite yellow (gold, really) and orange (and also green and even sometimes raspberry) depending on the angle of light hitting it. He can also be quite orangey on the belly and breast. But Michael's closer to the mark about how the pollen can really discolor the birds.

If I can coax my slide scanner into working this morning, I'll upload a shot of a rufous male, and also of a broad-tailed female with pollen on her forehead. The latter made me do a double-take when I first saw her -- I mean, what hummer has a yellow face like that?! :-)

Katy Penland · Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:34

Sorry for the poor scan quality. These are severely cropped slides but they'll give you an idea...

cuckooroller · Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:07

Never heard of one with a truly yellow breast. Even hypothesizing the deposit of yellow pollen, it wouldn't deposit on the breast as hummers don't normally have contact with the flowers except through the bill and head. I can only think of some screwy plumage variation of a known hummer.

Here's another link to see a photo (on the head) of the pollen deposit occurring during feeding.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=13354

streatham · Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:53

well there is xantu's with buffy yellow breast but in florida - prepare to be famous if that's what it is

streatham · Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:55

oops xantus's - should check my typing

Michael Frankis · Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:04

Whether they get pollen on their breast or not will depend more on the structures of the flower, than the behaviour of the hummer - if the flower has very long stamens, it could happen. Something like e.g. this Epiphyllum:
http://www.mdougherty.com/100-THEPHO...lht-jpeg60.jpg
Or this one:
http://images1.fotki.com/v4/photos/2...phyllum-vi.jpg
(flowers about 12-15cm/5-6" across)

Michael

Michael Frankis · Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:08

Or a Hibiscus like this:
http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/star/sites/hibiscus.jpg

Michael

alcedo.atthis · Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:16

Location: Pensacola, Florida

Any ideas???

Jack, Lanny Chambers has an excellent site relating to hummingbirds.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/

You will get info in there relating to the individual sightings in each State.

Regards

Malky @ Westhill

cuckooroller · Sunday 21st March 2004, 19:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Frankis

Or a Hibiscus like this:
http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/star/sites/hibiscus.jpg

Michael

OK, OK. Should have bit my lip! You have convinced me.

jackdins · Sunday 21st March 2004, 21:36

I believe that Rufous with the pollen is what we
saw. Thank you all so much, I don't believe I've
ever had better response to a forum question. The
first answer came in just minutes after I posted
the question! This must be a popular spot for
bird watchers.

Jack from Pensacola

Grousemore · Monday 22nd March 2004, 00:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackdins

I believe that Rufous with the pollen is what we
saw. Thank you all so much, I don't believe I've
ever had better response to a forum question. The
first answer came in just minutes after I posted
the question! This must be a popular spot for
bird watchers.

Jack from Pensacola

You,re right there,Jack..it is!
A warm welcome from the Moderators and Admin of Birdforum and we hope you continue to post on this site and enjoy the breadth of topics that are discussed here.

carmelvalleyite · Thursday 12th April 2018, 05:15

I saw one at the botanic garden in San Diego, California
I can't find anything on the web that is even remotely close.
I just posted photos in the bird identification section fyi.

Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:31	#1
jackdins Jack from Taxacola (formerly Pensacola), Florida Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 3	Is there a yellow-breasted hummingbird On March 18 and 19 multiple up-close sightings were made by four sober people of a yellow-breasted hummingbird, somewhat larger than our ruby-throated variety. I have not been able to find anything even remotely close in my books. He visited the same feeder several times both days, taking long drinks. The color was bright yellow but my wife noted that it looked a little orange to her when he turned sideways in the bright sunlight, but agrees it was a bright yellow in direct sun. I now have a camera ready but he did not show up yesterday nor so far today, March 21. Location: Pensacola, Florida Any ideas???

Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:37	#2
Jane Turner Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hoylake, Merseyside Posts: 22,841 My location	I seem to recall female Broad-tailed-and presumably related hummers have quite an orangey cast to their underparts, but I wouldn't describe them as "bright yellow". http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/...DSC_2451FF.jpg Last edited by Jane Turner : Sunday 21st March 2004 at 15:39.
	BF Supporter 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Support BirdForum With A Donation

Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:00	#4
gthang Ford Focus Fanatic: mmmmmm... 3.1415926535..... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 100 Miles N of NYC Posts: 1,779	How about a Rufous Hummingbird? __________________ To browse some of my photos: <Links will open in new window(s)/tab(s)> My BirdForum Gallery My Flickr Gallery Last 2007 year bird/lifer: Lapland Longspur (#51/136) Last 2008 lifer: Red-Headed Woodpecker (#137)

Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:04	#5
Katy Penland Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pine Mountain Club, California, USA Posts: 10,754	Male rufous hummingbird, which is being seen with more regularity in Florida, has a bright gorget that can be quite yellow (gold, really) and orange (and also green and even sometimes raspberry) depending on the angle of light hitting it. He can also be quite orangey on the belly and breast. But Michael's closer to the mark about how the pollen can really discolor the birds. If I can coax my slide scanner into working this morning, I'll upload a shot of a rufous male, and also of a broad-tailed female with pollen on her forehead. The latter made me do a double-take when I first saw her -- I mean, what hummer has a yellow face like that?! :-)
	BF Supporter 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2014 Support BirdForum With A Donation

Sunday 21st March 2004, 16:34	#6
Katy Penland Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Pine Mountain Club, California, USA Posts: 10,754	Sorry for the poor scan quality. These are severely cropped slides but they'll give you an idea... Attached Thumbnails
	BF Supporter 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2014 Support BirdForum With A Donation

Sunday 21st March 2004, 15:52	#3
Michael Frankis conehead Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: . Posts: 6,794	Welcome to BirdForum! Any hummer can get bright yellow on its breast if it visits flowers that get deposit pollen on it while feeding. I believe plants like Hibiscus are 'designed' to do this - long stamens that brush the hummer while it probes for nectar, then when it visits the next flower, some of the pollen rubs back off onto the (slightly sticky) stigma, to fertilise the seeds. Obviously if it was clearly larger than Ruby-throat, it will be a different species though. Michael

Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:07	#7
cuckooroller Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Amelia, Italy Posts: 4,915 My location	Never heard of one with a truly yellow breast. Even hypothesizing the deposit of yellow pollen, it wouldn't deposit on the breast as hummers don't normally have contact with the flowers except through the bill and head. I can only think of some screwy plumage variation of a known hummer. Here's another link to see a photo (on the head) of the pollen deposit occurring during feeding. http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=13354 __________________ ________________ Steve Pryor Oriental Bird Club Neotropical Bird Club

Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:53	#8
streatham Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: ct Posts: 1,505	well there is xantu's with buffy yellow breast but in florida - prepare to be famous if that's what it is

Sunday 21st March 2004, 17:55	#9
streatham Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: ct Posts: 1,505	oops xantus's - should check my typing

Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:04	#10
Michael Frankis conehead Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: . Posts: 6,794	Whether they get pollen on their breast or not will depend more on the structures of the flower, than the behaviour of the hummer - if the flower has very long stamens, it could happen. Something like e.g. this Epiphyllum: http://www.mdougherty.com/100-THEPHO...lht-jpeg60.jpg Or this one: http://images1.fotki.com/v4/photos/2...phyllum-vi.jpg (flowers about 12-15cm/5-6" across) Michael

Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:08	#11
Michael Frankis conehead Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: . Posts: 6,794	Or a Hibiscus like this: http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/star/sites/hibiscus.jpg Michael

Sunday 21st March 2004, 18:16	#12
alcedo.atthis Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Westhill, Scotland Posts: 1,416	Location: Pensacola, Florida Any ideas??? Jack, Lanny Chambers has an excellent site relating to hummingbirds. http://www.hummingbirds.net/ You will get info in there relating to the individual sightings in each State. Regards Malky @ Westhill

Sunday 21st March 2004, 21:36	#14
jackdins Jack from Taxacola (formerly Pensacola), Florida Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 3	I believe that Rufous with the pollen is what we saw. Thank you all so much, I don't believe I've ever had better response to a forum question. The first answer came in just minutes after I posted the question! This must be a popular spot for bird watchers. Jack from Pensacola

Thursday 12th April 2018, 05:15	#16
carmelvalleyite Registered User Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 6	I saw one at the botanic garden in San Diego, California I can't find anything on the web that is even remotely close. I just posted photos in the bird identification section fyi.

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