Hummingbird ID North Oregon coast, USA (1 Viewer)

[billb1]

I thought it was an Anna's until I looked at the photo. Lots of rufous coloring makes me think it may be an Anna's/Rufous hybrid. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[lmans66]

Looks to be an Anna's...pretty common on the coast...

 

[fugl]

Yes, Anna's; I don't see anything to suggest hybridization with another species.

 

[billb1]

Thanks for the quick reply. I see lots of Anna's with the coloration of picture 1. Picture 2 is a new photo of the bird in question. If both are Anna's why such a disparity in color? Both pictures were taken today at my feeders. Thanks

 

[tyrannulet]

Yup they are both Anna's Hummingbirds, the difference in colors could just be slight genetic variation or could be a result of light reflecting off at a different angle which would result in not seeing the same color.

Nice pictures of the hummingbird!

 

[Whooping Crone]

This is from a few days back - but I think it deserves a second look. I hope thats OK.

Anna's is certianly the most common resident hummer here - but several key marks don't add up: the amount of rufous in the tail of this bird is no way an Anna's; the white collar this bird shows is not present to this extent on an Anna's; and the wings do not appear to be as long or longer than the tail.

Also, while the forehead looks as if the feathers could appear red in the correct light, they do not extend fully up the crown and down the back of the head to the nape - as an Anna's would - and theres no flare to the gorgets.

I think the bird is most certainly some flavor of Selasphorus. My reaction to the first picture is Broad-tailed. My reaction to the second photo is that the posture looks very much like a Broad-tail, but the rufous seems excessive. Perhaps a Broad-tailxRufous hybrid? Rufous would be the most common summer hummer here.

S.

 

[lmans66]

A hummingbird can appear completely different depending not just on the light but how the bird itself twists. You will notice many times when taking a photo that the colors really pop out in one shot and are essentially a dull brown or black in others...that is the results of light angle, how feathers are lined up to the lens and light etc... Huge discrepancy at times which is one reason my animal (mammal and bird) photography is so difficult. You are not just looking at a static image such as a building or bridge etc....but a moving object that is composed of the texture of feathers and fur....

 

[KenM]

I note that Images 1 and 3 show a Hummer with rufous upper tail outer margins! as per the previous respondent....Anna's shouldn't have that?.....image 2 seems to show a step laddered gorget at the neck side presumably this is something that Anna's can show?

I'll include a few Anna's 'grabs' without any apparent rufous upper-tail margins, accepting that the gorget can, light dependent, appear black or to my eye a cerise pink!

Plus a Rufous 'grab' that I took several years ago in Oregon for comparison.

cheers

 

[KenM]

In retrospect I'm of the opinion that all 3 images refer to Rufous Hummingbird, as they are the only 'real' contenders on plumage and location. I'm confident that they are not Anna's.

cheers

 

[bitterntwisted]

Just found this one and wanted to bump it as I'm not sure the ID is resolved. The original bird, shown in Pic 1, post 1, and again in pic 2, post 4, is surely not an Anna's for the reasons Ken and Whooping Crone (great name! :t give.

Graham