Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!pacbell.com!pacbell!sactoh0!unify!magpie!grp From: grp@unify.uucp (Greg Pasquariello) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Early migrant, and Friday Message-ID: Date: 9 Aug 90 09:47:53 GMT References: <49253@olivea.atc.olivetti.com> Sender: news@Unify.Com (news admin) Reply-To: grp@unify.com Organization: Unify Corporation, Sacramento, California Lines: 54 In-Reply-To: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com's message of 9 Aug 90 05:28:31 GMT In article , grp@unify.uucp (Greg Pasquariello) writes: > > > > It seems I have a migrant already! This morning, one of the Selasphorus > > hummingbirds showed up at my feeder. I believe it is a rufous, but it's a > > I have banded both Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds, and the > difference in the width of the outer tail feathers is measured in > millimeters, with the threshold being about 3 mm. Another characteristic > concerns rectrice two, the second one from the center. Rufous Hummers > will have varying degrees of emargination on one or both sides of this > feather, depending on age and sex. This emargination is virtually absent > on Allen's. Both of these characteristics are darn near impossible to > see in the field without having the bird in hand. Tell me about it! I have had the bird in my scope such that I could focus no closer, and I still can't discern the difference! I have given up and written it off as an unidentified Selasphorus. > > Another problem with Rufous are the immature males. They > generally acquire the bright orange gorget by the time of fall migration; > September or so. The problem is that they won't go through their first > full body molt until sometime prior to spring migration. During this > time they will have a bright gorget with an all-green (juvenile plumage) > back, looking for all the world like an Allen's male. The above > mentioned tail feather characteristics are still applicable but, again, > are difficult to see in the field except in the hand. As of yesterday, the first bird was not to be found, but an immature male something or other was present. It was just as you described, with an almost full gorget, a green back, and lot's of rufous in the tail and on the sides. A truly beautiful bird. At one point yesterday, I had six hummers around my feeder, two of the rufous type, the rest were all Anna's. One of Anna's was tangling with one of the rufoid birds, one Anna's was checking out my red shirt, and the rest of the birds were zooming to and fro, around the feeder and around me. It was neat! > > I would suggest that the best way to get these guys on your > life list is to go out and find males in the springtime. One problem > is that both these species tend to be coastal at this time. Hope this > helps. The Allen's I already have, and the Rufous, well, I am still waiting for a good male. Just a matter of time! > > Mike -- -Greg Pasquariello grp@unify.com