Hummingbird in Mexico City (1 Viewer)

[chaderz911]

During my trip to Mexico, this was one of two Hummingbirds I had never seen before. On this one, I can't decide whether to go with a Blue throated or a Magnifican?? Any thoughts or am I way off base?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25764850@N00/2107630644/

 

[humminbird]

While the bill certainly apears longer than I would expect, I think this is a Blue-throated. The tail is darker than I would expect in a Magnificent - a species that is generally uniformly colored from head to tip of tail.

 

[Chris Benesh]

Hi chaderz911,

Hummingbirds are sure tricky. Your bird looks like a Cynanthus hummingbird to me, and a Broad-billed Hummingbird in particular.

The structure is wrong for either of the larger candidates you mention, and the upperparts coloration doesn't fit either (Blue-throated has distinctive grayish lower back and bronzy toned rump; Magnificent has green central tail feathers).

Here is another site with Broad-billed Hummingbird shots taken in Mexico City:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pleautaud/506202809/in/set-72157600352563061/

Chris

 

[njlarsen]

Chris,
how do you feel about the bill color of these images? My Howell and Webb states that at least the lower bill should be red, and the white post-ocular stripe is not visible in the bird you linked to (which claimed to show a female; the male should have red bill also also on upper mandible except for the very tip?)?

Blue-throated should be excluded on lack of white tail tips, but I dont feel I can exclude Ametyst-throated hummingbird?

Niels

 

[Chris Benesh]

Chris,
how do you feel about the bill color of these images? My Howell and Webb states that at least the lower bill should be red, and the white post-ocular stripe is not visible in the bird you linked to (which claimed to show a female; the male should have red bill also also on upper mandible except for the very tip?)?

Blue-throated should be excluded on lack of white tail tips, but I dont feel I can exclude Ametyst-throated hummingbird?

Hi Neils,

You raise some good questions. The bill color description in Howell & Webb is an oversimplification. The bills of young birds and some females is often dark with often just a hint of red at the base of the mandible. Howell's own Hummingbird guide illustrates this well. Here are some examples:
http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Hummingbirds/femBBLH2.jpg
http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Hummingbirds/femBBLH1.jpg
http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20021115073740.JPG

I'm not sure about the linked picture - it may be the angle affecting the pattern of the face. The mystery bird has a classic Broad-billed face pattern though, with dark auriculars bordered by a white supercillium and a white throat.

Amethyst-throated is another Lampornis and has a back pattern somewhat like a Blue-throated Hummingbird (i.e. grayish and coppery around the lower back and rump). They are also rather dark brownish-gray below. Here are some examples:
http://nhm.ku.edu/komar/imagegallery/montecristo/hires/041d_029laam2.jpg
http://nhm.ku.edu/komar/imagegallery/pital/hires/0a94_018hires.jpg

Chris

 

[humminbird]

Well stated Chris. I am still not convinced this is a Broad-billed, the bill does not seem typical of the few Broad-bills I have experience with, but I will concede it is not a Lampronis species. I have seen Blue-throated with very little rusty color, but the tail always has the visible white.

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Chris!

Niels