ML357517751

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

This was a short-tailed hummingbird with a compact build, green back and rump and bright buffy sides and vent. This last feature alone eliminates all North American small hummingbirds, except for CAHU and BTHU. BTHU is longest bodied species in the genus, Selasphorus, with CAHU being the shortest member of the genus. In BTHU, P9-P10 are much narrower than the other primaries. Photos show no such narrowing, thus pointing to CAHU. I do not have photos of the spread tail but hope that other photographers may. This hummingbird was photographed in a garden in Dickinson, North Dakota on July 27, 2021. At the time, it was casually identified as a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Although seen by several birders who were there to see a stray Rufous Hummingbird in the same garden, no one that I am aware of spent much energy looking at this bird. After going through some of my photos of that bird last evening, I believe it best fits Calliope. At the time, none of the 5 birders there commented on the bird's size. Later one of them said it appeared smaller than the attendant RUHU.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS R5

Lens

RF800mm F11 IS STM + EXTENDER RF1.4x

ISO

32000

Focal length

1120 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/16.0

Shutter speed

1/4000 sec

Dimensions

6122 pixels x 4083 pixels

Original file size

7.6 MB