As I was watching the Thrasher fledglings on the levee last week, I heard a buzz nearby and turned to see this little hummingbird sitting on a nearby sapling. I couldn't identify it from the selection of four (Costa's, Anna's, Broad-tailed, Black-chinned) in Tekiela's Birds of Arizona Field Guide or Kaufman's Birds of the American Southwest
I sent the photos to a Birder friend, who thought that it was a female or possibly immature male Broad-billed Hummingbird. I think it's probably a female.Following up by looking at Internet photos and also Peterson's, I wondered if it might possibly be the much rarer White-eared Hummingbird (I learned that people do mistake one for the other), but no - I think it's the Broad-billed. There's an excellent article by Larry Liese on the Tucson Audubon Society's web site that clearly distinguishes between the female Broad-billed and the female White-eared. This bird doesn't have the distinguishing green speckled throat and the stripe is greyish, rather than pure white. I'd appreciate a positive ID, if any of my readers know.
7 comments:
Lovely,lovely...
I don't know about the identification but what a great experience.
The ruby-throats have arrived here and even though they are our only hummers I am enjoying every moment.
What a sweet little thing. I am always struck by their intensity.
Sorry it took so long, but I have my favorite birds up at my site.
:-)
Thanks for the tag... I had to think about it. LOL
I just have soooooo many favorites. ;-)
How wonderful,humming birds are special but I've only ever seen two kinds Anna's and ruby throats.
hi, came from Cynthia's blog. I wanted to congratulate you on so many beautiful pictures....great job.
It's been a long day and I don't have time for individual responses tonight, but thanks to you all for your kind comments. I, too, love the ruby-throats and so enjoyed them when I lived back east. It was a great joy to come to Arizona and find so many new varieties here. It's a great thrill whenever I hear the buzz of one and look to find what flower or feeder its hovering near.
As I commented on Cynthia's blog, I would love to see a humminbird one day - it'd be on my Ten Things To Do Before I Die list ...! Not that I want to get morbid - quite the opposite. In the meantime the best I can do is read blogs such as yours and get the second-hand version - which is quite all right by me for the moment! :)
Thanks so much for the photos ... on any blue, winter days ahead, I will return here to look at that beautiful little hummingbird.
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