That's why today I'm going to talk a little bit about how we might take the hummingbird friends we've made this month and actually gain some knowledge that will help us find them again, in the wild. When I started this blog I never thought that it might be something people who have any interest in identifying birds would read. After all, there are so many better resources out there for that. So instead I chose to focus on 'birds for the casual bird enjoyer'. However, if there's one thing that's become clear the longer I've stayed in this hobby, is that it's at least a little bit contagious, and regular readers often catch the "I want to look at that bird and know what it is" bug (read:bird). So read on, and you too might add some hummingbirds to your life list. But probably not, unless you live, like, in the far South West.
And one more quick ground-rule- these ID tips are intended to be for birds found in the USA. There are places that have like, tons of hummingbird species, and they all look the same, so no help from me there.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: You might think that the ruby throat would be the dead giveaway, and you're sort of right. But something you'll see as we go down the list is that these color features are highly dependent on 1) male birds and 2) getting the right light. You see Hummingbird coloration is largely structural, not pigment-based. This means that seeing those bright colors depends on the light hitting them just right. An easier ID is that if you live on the East Coast, this is basically your only hummingbird, baring weird accidental appearance. Other than that you have the green body with a white belly, but that's a pretty common color scheme.
Anna's Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: They have a redish-pinkish head, almost to the point of looking like they're wearing a full hood. Lives on the West Coast. For me, the vast majority of the time, if I've seen a hummingbird along the pacific, it was an Anna's. Pretty easy ID
Allen's Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: Crazy colors! Unlike most hummingbirds, this one has spots of orange mixed in with spots of green, mostly along the top. As compared with a later orange hummingbird, this one has less orange, more green, generally speaking.
Costa's Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: A hard one! Very similar to Anna's, but if you see something you think is an Anna's, but the 'hood' has weird points that extend downward, kind of like lapels or shoulder pads (and sometimes away from the head), it might be an Anna's. Also a purple colored head, vs a more red or pink one in Anna's (but the colors here are not always easy to see, as I mentioned earlier). Smaller, more 'hunched' posture than Anna's, which are sleeker looking. It you're not sure, it's probably an Anna's, as these are not seen as often in most places.
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: Pretty easy, I would say. Super colorful, blues and greens all over the body, even without hitting the right light. The bill, though, is really where it's at. Red, slightly curved, with a black tip. Not many hummingbirds have this combination. It is also reported that the bill has a 'broad base', which is what the bird is named for, although it's not exactly the kind of feature I think a normal person would notice or remark on.
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: A dark head and a distinctive color pattern on the throat that goes black chin, purplish necklace (sometimes just looks black), white collar. Also has a little white spot behind the eye. The top of the head is always green, in contrast with some of our more colorful hummingbirds above.
Rufous Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: Extremely orange. If you see a hummingbird and are like "wow, I didn't know there were orange ones", it's probably a Rufous. You might see little bits of green here and there, but less so than in an Allen's. I've been informed that there are basically no differences between an Allen's and Rufous female, so you probably shouldn't even try.
Rivoli's Hummingbird
Key Identification Feature: Big! Darker than most. If you trust pictures on the internet, very colorful throughout, but that's not how I saw it. If you see a hummingbird that looks a lot sturdier and a little slower than normal, it's probably this guy. Long wings and tail with prominent black. Another white eye spot haver.
So, given all that information, we're probably all hummingbird experts now, right? Well, not so fast, because you see, this is a guy I haven't been able to identify. I also posted in the usually very accurate "What's this bird?" Facebook group and there was no consensus. I got Violet-crowned, Broad-billed, and Violet-crowned x Broad-billed hybrid, which is apparently something that can happen. So I present to you now, this Mystery Bird. Maybe some day with lots of training, it'll be YOU who finally tells me what he is. But probably not! The combination of fast moving, super small, highly variable color patterns within species, and colors that requite light to hit at certain angles make hummingbird identification pretty hard. You'll be accurate probably 90% of the time just saying it's a Ruby-throated if you're on the East Coast and an Anna's on the West, to be honest.
Potential Violet-crowned Hummingbird
July 2019
Key Identification Features: Looks a lot like a broad-billed, but check out that streak of blue along the head and back. Also, take a look at the white neck and belly, and then go look at the Broad-billed again. Much more white! However, it's not perfect, since these guys are supposed to have very straight, red beaks. And ideally there'd be an even more white. What's going on here? A trick of the light? Some weird hybrid? Maybe we'll never know. Still, I think I'm probably going to count it, since I saw it at the wonderful Patton Center for Hummingbirds, which is a place that reports daily sightings of these otherwise fairly rare birds.
Still, if you think you know what this bird is with confidence, sound off in the comments. Until next time, bird fans-
