Please ID Hummingbird

[unclegus]

Hello, Need ID of attached Hummingbird, possibly a Costa's? TIA Gus

[Brian S]

Not the best to reply, perhaps, but will make an opening gambit with Black-chinned. Is the bill too long for Costa's? and the flank markings too light?

Lots of pics on my Surfbirds photo essay.

http://surfbirds.com/Features/hummingbirds.html

Brian S

[unclegus]

Brian, I think it is a tough one to ID? although I had Black-chinned in mind, I don't think the bill is long enough? Also have 2 mature birds at the feeder, Anna's and Costa's at this time. Possibly a Anna's immature? Ruled it out at first because I thought Anna's had a straight beak, though I was reading in Peterson Field guides, "Hummingbirds of America that the Anna's bill can be straight or slightly decurved. Whereas the Costa's is thin and slightly decurved, also Costa's tail feathers are rounded.

attached another photo from Green Valley, AZ > . . Gus

[AndyB]

Hi Gus, looks like 2 different birds here (based on throat markings alone).

The bottom bird looks a lot like a Costa's. Classic short, curved bill and white underparts. Female Costa's photo for comparison: http://www.fssbirding.org.uk/Images/costashummingbird02fortrip.jpg

The top bird I am less confident on. Looks like Anna's with the throat markings and dingey underparts. Black-chinned usually has fine spotting on the throat and is whiter below - see Bill Schmoker's page for examples (http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/BCHU.html) and this photo (http://picasaweb.google.com/nerd.naveen/WikipediaFeaturedPictures/photo#5027508403032064594). I'm not sure how curved the bill is on your photo and wonder if it isn't. Would be good to see other photos because who knows it could be hiding a monster bill that would rule out Anna's and favour Black-chinned.

Tucson Audubon has a nice article comparing Anna's and Costa's: http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/birding/duos24.htm

Anyway, prepared to be proven hopelessly wrong on the top bird.

[unclegus]

Hi Andy, This one this morning looks different again. To me, more like an Anna's Female or Immature because of shorter bill than Black chinned? Will try to find another photo of bird #1 . . . Gus

[unclegus]

Hi Andy: Here is Bird #1 with Bee guard removed to end of beak . . Gus

[AndyB]

bottom looks like an Anna's - I would guess at Anna's at the bird above it but not sure.