ML498168501

Age and sex

Unknown age, Unknown sex - 1

Behaviors

Flying

Observation details

A continuing late hummer, first seen by MS and JS over a week ago, and only recently identified as an Anna's Hummingbird, the first modern record for this species in Los Alamos County. This is a medium-sized hummingbird, larger than a Rufous or Calliope, about the same size as a Broad-tailed, and smaller and chunkier than a Black-chinned. There is no rufous coloration on the flanks, or in any of the tail feathers, which are tipped in white. The bill is shorter and less curved than a Black-chinned. In most presentations, the bill appears completely straight. The widths of the primary feathers are almost constant from P1 to P10, and the secondaries are squared off to emarginated. The central tail feathers, while still green, are noticeably darker than the outer tail feathers, another characteristic of Anna's. This bird shows buffy edges to its feathers, noticeable everywhere except on the lower back, suggesting the bird is a hatch-year bird. I could not discern any grooves on the bill, which would confirm it as a juvenile, but the pictures may not have the resolution needed to make that call. The emerging gorget pattern of rosy spangles resembles that of an adult female, and there are no incoming spangles on the head or crown (which, had they been present, would suggest immature male). When perched, the bird sometimes shows wings longer than tail, uncharacteristic of female Anna's. However, it is possible that the bird is in mid-molt and that the tail feathers have not fully grown in. Altogether, these features suggest the bird is a hatch-year female, likely hatched in the January 2022 time frame. If so, the bird would likely be a stray from the coastal climate of the west coast or Baja California. Thanks to Mohini Rawool-Sullivan and John Sullivan for locating and identifying this bird.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS R5

Lens

EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x III

ISO

5000

Focal length

560 mm

f-stop

f/8.0

Shutter speed

1/320 sec

Dimensions

1920 pixels x 1280 pixels

Original file size

692.66 KB