Interesting Mystery Hummingbird at Ash Canyon B&B, SE Arizona by Alex Lamoreaux on Nemesis Bird

31Jul/114

Interesting Mystery Hummingbird at Ash Canyon B&B, SE Arizona

Today while watching hummingbirds (and a ton of other great non-hummingbird birds), Anna spotted an interesting hummingbird coming in to the feeders, usually with a male Broad-billed Hummingbird. This weird hummer was about the same size as a Broad-billed and had a similar bill length. However, this bird had a very dark, black throat/gorget. The black coloration continued down through the breast and belly, unlike the iridescent blue on a typical male Broad-billed. Also unlike a Broad-billed, this mystery hummer only had an orange-ish/red lower mandible, rather than both the upper and lower. What could this be? Probably a hybrid, but what were it's parents?...Broad-billed X Berylline? Broad-billed X Magnificent? Let me know your thoughts? Unfortunately, I was unable to get any shots of it in flight, but I think the photos below show it's markings well. Many more photos (taken by Anna) can be seen at this link.

Mystery Hummingbird Hybrid - 7/30/11 at Ash Canyon B&B

Mystery Hummer (on left) with a Broad-billed Hummingbird (male) - 7/30/11 at Ash Canyon B&B

Filed under: bird sightings, hummingbirds, identification, mystery birds Leave a comment

SE Arizona Birding, Day 1: Sweetwater Wetlands and Madera Canyon » « Think cool

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_V4OUPLCINOL723CGHVR53CQ72Y Kevin

Alex,

I’m far from an expert, and Sheri Williamson will probably be able to give you a much better opinion, but here are my thoughts on the bird.

I’m pretty sure one parent is Broad-billed. The wing shape is right and that would account for the part of the bill that is red, as well as the overall back color (which also is good for Broad-billed). It also accounts for the white post-ocular spot.

I would not guess Magnificent for the other parent for a few reasons: the bird doesn’t appear significantly larger than the Broad-billed photographed with it, and I’d think any Magnificent blood would result in a larger bird; and I’d think genes for a green throat combined with ones for a blue-green throat would result in some green/blue intermediate shade.

Likewise, I wouldn’t guess Berylline for the same gorget color reason as Magnificent, and because in both that species and in Broad-billed, there is no clear division between the gorget and the breast, as there is on this bird. I note in the “solo” picture that the gorget makes a nice clean line across the throat/breast dividing line.

The dark color to me suggests Black-chinned, and the shape of the gorget also looks like a typical Archilochus gorget. The most conspicuous evidence, to me, though, is the tail shot in Anna’s pictures (the one labeled “Notice orange lower mandible”). The shapes of the R5′s appear to be too narrow for something like a Magnificent or even Broad-billed to acount for them, and the deep notch with each side coming down to a point looks strongly like a Black-chinned’s tail to me.

In that same picture, the feathers of the breast and belly appear to be mostly green or white, also suggestive of a bird with one parent that has light colored underparts and one that has green underparts. The latter probably come from the Broad-billed parent, suggesting the light colored parts come from the other parent – again suggesting against Magnificent or Berylline and in favor of something like Black-chinned.

Again, it’s just an semi-educated guess – I’ve got very little experience with hybrids.

http://nemesisbird.com Drew

I also agree that there is probably some Black-chinned in there as well. I checked out Anna’s additional photos for some shots of the primaries and a better look at the tail feathers.

Larry

I agree with Kevin Broad-billed x Black-chinned. One thing Kevin did not mention was the head shape which looks very much like a Black-chinned.
http://profiles.google.com/birdaz Rick Wright

The shape of the “gorget” suggests Calypte to me, and Anna’s, of course, is a very common bird at those feeders. Tail length and shape might also fit Anna’s for the other parent.

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