Jul 011999
 

Anna’s Hummingbird — ANHU

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year

This shot shows coloration behind the eye.  The crown matches the gorget.  The bill is straight or almost so.

As the male ages, its gorget extends at the corners.  The white tuft on the shoulder of this bird is an oddity (flash used).

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year

A year later I caught this adult male.  Depending on lighting conditions the bird sometimes shows purple (flash used).

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year

Hummer iridescence is optimized when the sky is overcast.

Anna's Hummingbird AHY male

Anna’s Hummingbird AHY male

Most of the mature male Anna’s look more like the bird below with no extensions on the gorget.

Anna's Hummingbird ANHU AHYM

Anna’s Hummingbird ANHU AHYM

 

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year

The below shot is of an Anna’s Hummingbird male hatch year.

Note the halo at the end of the immature gorget feathers and that the entire throat is covered.

This bird is likely less than 6 months old.

Anna's Hummingbird male hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird female adult

Anna's Hummingbird female adult

Anna’s Hummingbird female adult

Anna’s Hummingbird female hatch year

Anna's Hummingbird female hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird female hatch year

The backs of Anna’s Hummingbirds below, note the crown on the male on the left.

Anna's Hummingbird male (L) and female (R) backs

Anna’s Hummingbird male (L) and female (R) backs

A dangerous perspective…..

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbirds molt in late summer.  The top bird in the following pictures is a mature male in mid molt of its gorget.

The bird below it is a hatch year male who’s wing is in mid molt.

Anna's Hummingbird molt

Anna’s Hummingbird molt

Sexing and aging Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird tail

Anna’s Hummingbird tail

After hatch year male Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year tail diagram

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year tail diagram

Note that a Costa’s male AHY tail looks a bit similar, but R5 is more narrow and has an inward curve.

Anna's Hummingbird male after hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male after hatch year tail

Hatch year male Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird male hatch year tail diagram

Anna’s Hummingbird male hatch year tail diagram

Note the difference between the R4 on this hatch year male vs the females which are rounder.

The slight point is my observation and is not supported by various texts.

Anna's Hummingbird male hatch year

Anna’s Hummingbird male hatch year tail

After hatch year female Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird female after hatch year tail diagram

Anna’s Hummingbird female after hatch year tail diagram

The female tail closely resembles the hatch year male.  R5 tip is clean, R4 has a black tip.

Anna's Hummingbird female after hatch year tail

Anna’s Hummingbird female after hatch year tail

After hatch year female Anna’s Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird female hatch year ANHU F-HY diagram

Anna’s Hummingbird female hatch year ANHU F-HY diagram

Note that the sub-terminal black on R3 is offset.  White on R3 much more prominent than FAHY.

Anna's Hummingbird female hatch year tail

Anna’s Hummingbird female hatch year tail

Another way of differentiating species of hummingbird is by their wings.

The shape of the feathers, size of them, the position of the rectrix and the length of the wing in proportion to the tail.

This photograph was taken postmortem.  Note that P10 (outermost) is more narrow than P9.

Anna's Hummingbird wing

Anna’s Hummingbird wing

P9 through P4 are approximately the same width.

Anna's Hummingbird wing

Anna’s Hummingbird wing

Another diagnostic is the tail vs wing length.  As can be seen in the tail shot below, Anna’s tail length is long, extending well beyond the wingtips for an adult male.

Anna's AHY male tail

Anna’s AHY male tail

For a female, the tail extends to or beyond the wingtips.

Anna's Hummingbird female hatch year tail

Anna’s Hummingbird female hatch year tail

Wing comparisons

ANHU vs Rufous

ANHU vs Rufous

Does an Anna’s Hummingbird have eyelashes?

Anna's Hummingbird eyelashes

Anna’s Hummingbird eyelashes

An after hatch year male Anna’s

ANHU male tail

ANHU male tail

An AHY male from Hassayampa River preserve (flash).

Anna's Hummingbird male

Anna’s Hummingbird male

Males use their iridescence as both an attractant for mating rituals and warnings to their rivals.

At rest, their crown feathers lay flat on their head.

ANHU MAHY crown

ANHU MAHY crown

They can raise them as the need occurs.

ANHU MAHY crown

ANHU MAHY crown

When the weather is cloudy, iridescent shots improve.

ANHU MAHY crown

ANHU MAHY crown

An after hatch year male on our patio.

ANHU front and side

ANHU front and side

Anna’s gathering nesting material, dog hair.

Anna's Hummingbird female

Anna’s Hummingbird female

Anna

  2 Responses to “Anna’s Hummingbird ANHU”

  1. Excellent work! Thanks for posting these wonderful images and text. It would be nice to know where the photos were taken and roughly when (i.e., even just the month), and who you are (i.e., a little background info).

    PS I love your “handle” Zoutedrop!

    HollandNorth (I’m Dutch and live in Alaska)

  2. Absolutely stellar photography and documentation. Agree with the reader’s comment requesting a ‘when and where taken’ notation be added to the photos. Keep doing what you’re doing!

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