Gold throated hummingbird?

[JB]

My swarm is at its annual peak with transients added to my resident birds.

There are about 50 swarming around my feeders this AM.

I like to watch the males for flashes of color at their throats. A collar of sapphire on the black chins and ruby red on the ruby throats and others I can't tell from the ruby throats.

This morning there is one that looks like a ruby throat except that when the light hits him at the angle that usually lights his throat up like a red LED he lights up like a yellow LED.. . bright gold, like polished brass.

Anyone ever seen one like this?

 

[QC]

Re: Gold throated hummingbird?

No yellow/gold throats at my house yet . . . most of ours are grey to dark gray with the green sapphire deal at some angles and I have assumed males with the ruby colored throat. We have two or three that are more of a beige color and their tails are white with black bands. They are slightly smaller than the others and very aggressive. Seem to be the dominant ones and they flair their tails when they are making it clear that they want everybody else outta here (I guess most of them do that). Are those a different variety? Or Alphas? Do they have Alphas?

Also, I have read somewhere that I am supposed to put these feeders away sometime to force them to migrate. Is that true? If so, when is that?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Gold throated hummingbird?

My swarm is at its annual peak with transients added to my resident birds.

There are about 50 swarming around my feeders this AM.

I like to watch the males for flashes of color at their throats. A collar of sapphire on the black chins and ruby red on the ruby throats and others I can't tell from the ruby throats.

This morning there is one that looks like a ruby throat except that when the light hits him at the angle that usually lights his throat up like a red LED he lights up like a yellow LED.. . bright gold, like polished brass.

Anyone ever seen one like this?

Grab that long lens JB and give us a treat. Saw a picture on the internet of a lady who had HB's eating out of her hand. Pretty neat.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Gold throated hummingbird?

JB, on this link, http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...l+hummingbird+colors&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us scroll down to "Plummage" and read about the Ruby Throated's coloing in adult males. I'll bet it was a rare bird!

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Gold throated hummingbird?

I hate birds!!!! Why? I'm jealous. I had to spend who knows how many thousands of dollars to be able to do what they do at will.

If reincarnation is true, I want to come back as a bird.

 

[JB]

Re: Gold throated hummingbird?

Thanks for the link, DR. This must be one of the rare birds described as having a "bronze or yellowish caste" to the gorget.