This little jewel has been guarding the hummingbird feeders in my yard for a couple of weeks now but I can't decide if it is a Ruby-throated (very common in DFW) or a Black-chinned for which we are on the very eastern edge of their range according to my 'Sibley Guide to Birds'.
The throat has a definite purple sheen even in changing light compared to the Ruby's typically red throat.
Any ID help would be appreciated...
Steve
Looks like Anna's Hummingbird to me.
Hack
I would say Black-chinned. That is the most common one in my yard. I look for the little white "clerical collar" under the black chin, and I watch for them pumping their tail up and down (as opposed to the Broad-tailed, the other common one in my area, it is more likely to fan its tail).
This message was edited Jul 16, 2014 7:24 PM
I agree with pollengarden on the Black-chinned Hummer.
Here's a link from the Cornell lab of Ornithology. It's a wonderful site used by many DG members. If you scroll down to the pics and zoom in on the Black-chinned, you'll see it looks exactly like your picture. They also have a lot of great info on this bird as well as tons of others.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black-chinned_hummingbird/id
Ditto to Black-chinned
Resin
Another bit of trivia on this bird -
Researchers have found Black-chinned prefer to nest in the vicinity of Hawk nests, sometimes there will be a rough ring of females nesting 2-3 trees out from a Hawk nest.
Not applicable to your male - but nesting females are less likely to come to feeders, so you might have one around.
Thanks to all for the ID and information. I had just never seen a Black-chinned here before and wanted to make sure my tired old eyes weren't fooling me.
Steve
Congrats, Steve! It's always exciting to see a bird you haven't seen before, especially when it's in your own yard. He's a real beauty!
Definitely a Black-Chinned (male). I've had these build nests in my yard two years in a row. Way cool birds. The also loved playing and bathing in my fountain.
BTW, this was when I lived in California.
This message was edited Jul 19, 2014 12:34 AM
As this tiny bird has become more used to me and started frequenting the feeders even when I'm standing quite close, I've noticed that what started as a bare spot (pink skin showing with few feathers) under his left wing has now progressed to an almost completely bare chest and belly.
When I first noticed it, I thought the bird might have been at some stage of molting but after the last few days with the bare patch getting bigger and the body starting to look raggedy and thin all over, I'm now inclined to think that he's either sick or very old.
Steve
He looks okay in the photo you posted. If the bald spot started at one point and spread, that doesn't sound good - it sounds more like mites or a disease.
I had one that came back every summer for 4-5? years, but didn't come back last year. I assumed old age caught up with him. Old age or an injury would make them more susceptible to disease.
Has there been any improvement in the little Black Chin, Steve?
There are wildlife rehabbers around you that might be able to help it or give you some advice, but ideally you'd want someone who specializes in hummingbirds.
It's always so sad to see a bird or critter that's suffering and much of the time there isn't much you can do. Hopefully whatever it is will pass and the little guy will be fine.
The bird is still quite active and feeding during certain parts of the day but generally speaking, he'll only let me close to him at the feeders at his changing whims. Since it looks like we may have some sun by this afternoon, I'll set up my camera and try to get more pics since I can enlarge those on the computer to check his current condition.
See image below of the condition when I first noticed it...
Steve
Steve - I don't know if you're familiar with hummingbirds.net. If you aren't, they're one of the best hummingbird sites, used frequently by a lot of DG members. Lanny Chambers is not only extremely knowledgeable, he's one of a small number of people in the U.S. that are licensed to do hummer banding. They also have a great migration map based on sightings from people like you and me.
Here is a link for the FAQ page on hummingbirds.net. On the left side of the page is a link for the site's email. I don't know how quickly he responds, but possibly an email with pictures might get you some answers?
http://www.hummingbirds.net/faq.html
There's also a page on the site that refers to a lady who has done a lot of research with Black Chin hummers. The research has nothing to do with this problem, but she supposedly has a lot of experience with hummers. She's in New Mexico.
Here is the link to that page which has her website. I don't know if you can contact her to ask questions.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/elliston.html
It looks red - in most critters that would mean inflammation. But in hummingbirds, with their low body fat and high metabolism, maybe red is their normal color under their feathers. I think nutsaboutnature is right, you need to forward these photos to a hummingbird expert.
