Hi all, We regularly get two species of hummingbirds in our yard every year...Calliope and Rufous, but we are also within the northern 'boundary' of the range of the Black-chinned Hummingbird. I think I have learned to tell the female Rufous and Calliope females apart, even at the juvenile, sub-adult and adult stages. This one does not really fit with either of the other two species, so I am curious to know if it is a female Black-chinned?
My ID is based largely on wingtip shape, lack of throat decoration, greyish green head, and lack of buffy colour around 'shoulder' .
In one of my books Smithsonian FG to Birds by C. Collins, the photo is almost 95% similar to yours...Female Black-Chinned and Ruby-Throated are very similar but maps show Black-Chinned more likely in your area.
So I vote for Female Black-Chinned
Hi Bruce - I would also vote that this is a lovely image of a Black-chinned female. The numbers in the west kootenays this year were really up.
Cheers
Gail
Thanks very much Paul and Gail! Gail did you see any males around this year? I get lots of Calliope and Rufous males but haven't seen any male Black-chinned.
Hi Bruce -- I'm not sure that this is a female Black-chinned. Those are the predominant hummingbird in my normal neck of the woods (west Texas) and there is something about the young lady that does not look right. It is a beautiful image.