rubythroated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 3 inches

• Long, straight, thin bill

• small hummingbird

• Bright green back and crown

• White underparts with greenish flanks

Adult male:

• Iridescent scarlet gorget

• Black face and chin

• Entirely dark forked tail

Female/Immature:

• White chin and throat with variable amounts of thin dark streaking

• Dark, shallowly-forked tail with white tips on outer tail feathers

Similar species:

No other hummingbirds occur regularly over much of its range, but there

is some overlap in the southeast and Texas. The broad-tailed hummingbird

is similar to the male ruby-throated, but has a rosy-red throat rather than a

scarlet or ruby throat patch. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds can also be identified by their black face and chin, and their distinctive call notes, and

the lack of a wing whistle produced by their wings in flight. Females are

similar to a number of other female hummingbirds, and are best told from

the calliope hummingbird and species in the genus Selasphorus by their
lack of rufous on the flanks and in the tail. Anna's hummingbirds are
larger and have grayer chests, while Costa's hummingbirds differ only in

subtleties of facial pattern and tail pattern. Black-chinned hummingbird

females are essentially identical, and are not safely separable from female

ruby-throateds except in the hand. Best told from all species except black-

chinned hummingbird by call.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Neotropical migrant
Breeding Habitat: Woodland
Nest Location: N/A
Nest Type: N/A
Clutch Size: 2
Length of Incubation: 11-14? days
Days to Fledge: 14-28
Number of Broods: 2, occasionally 3
Diet: Exclusively nectar, insects

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May R
      Su - Summer: June, July, August O
      Fall: September, October, November C

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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