Posted by Rob Graham on August 31, 2010 at 10:18 PM
I'm pretty sure this is a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, even though the gorget is more golden than red. This bird has been hanging around my feeders for a couple days now, in central Kansas, where Ruby-throated would be the most likely. Rufous would be the other choice, and another photographer thought it was a Rufous. Shouldn't Rufous have a lot more color to the body? Thanks in advance.
Posted by Nate Chappell on August 31, 2010 at 11:41 PM
It's a Ruby-throat, Rufous has rufous on the back and lower belly.
Posted by Brian Gatlin on September 1, 2010 at 12:00 AM
you & Nate have it--definitely a Ruby-throat. a Rufous with a fully developed gorget like this would be rufous pretty much all over, while even one with an incomplete gorget would show plenty of rufous on the flanks, head, body, tail. This has the classic pattern of a Ruby-throat with the red throat and the black mask.
Posted by Rob Graham on September 1, 2010 at 8:02 AM
Thanks for the confirmation, guys. The only other adult male Ruby-throat I have seen had a beautiful red gorget instead of the golden color.
Posted by Brian Gatlin on September 1, 2010 at 8:30 AM
oh--I should add--the color of the gorget can change dramatically with the angle of the light. For example, on a rufous hummingbird, the "default" color is red, but I've also seen it every shade of orange, gold, yellow, and even green.
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