![Calliope Hummingbird, Oct 2007, Calvert Co., MD. Photo by George Jett.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tMh3J88MITAVCkHROoCfKLwBfntrjE_cILfMTuCzz91nIsHoDYoSbRLPhsA5D6v_FBl2MaLFXG3Xg-ek9J6QQaWm2lMUxVyYFzjN9mjOE_LrNVRg3OGSgLipH37Gy98EzR29E0MEI=s0-d)
Calliope Hummingbird, Oct 2007, Calvert Co., MD. Photo by George Jett.
East of the Mississippi, it is well-known that there is only one
expected hummingbird–the familiar Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Ruby-throateds typically arrive in April and the bulk have departed by
the first of October. However, any hummingbird seen after about 15
October is more likely to be a rare western species than a
Ruby-throated! The excitement of one of these western visitors prompts
many people to keep their hummingbird feeders hanging until late fall,
or even all the way through spring. The yield is high; some homeowners
as far north as New Jersey and Massachusetts have had multiple
appearances by rare hummingbirds. Try your luck and set out a feeder;
below we discuss the possible species, give some tips on attracting late
hummers, and discuss the identification of difficult species.
NOTE: The discussion below will focus on the East coast, but the trends
discussed here are equally applicable to Canada, the Midwest, the Gulf
Coast (rich in wintering hummingbirds), the West, and even south-coastal
Alaska! It seems that anywhere that birders are willing to maintain
feeders, late season hummingbirds may arrive.
Fall 2012 has been highlighted by very good numbers of Rufous Hummingbirds (see
map
here and zoom in for red points to see recent records), a Calliope near
Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and an Allen’s Hummingbird in western
Massachusetts since late October. Perhaps some other species will follow
soon!
The appearance of these western hummingbirds is a phenomenon that has
been realized only recently. Starting in the mid-1980s, each ensuing
year has seemed to reveal more hummingbirds of more species in the late
fall. In Maryland for example, one Rufous Hummingbird was recorded per
decade from 1952 to 1981; in the 1980s there were two; from 1990-1993
there were four; from 1994-1997 there were seven; and from 1998-2000
there were eight. The trend has continued along this trajectory, with
more Rufous Hummingbirds appearing in each subsequent year. The state’s
first Calliope came in 2004, followed by one in 2006 and another in
2007; an Anna’s Hummingbird occurred in 2005. What will 2012 hold?
From October to January, Rufous Hummingbird is the most common
species by far in the East, outnumbering other species by up to ten to
one. This species, which may sometimes arrive on their breeding grounds
in Alaska before the ice breaks, are particularly well adapted to cold
weather. Females and immatures occur in the East with regularity from
mid-October on, with arrivals peaking from mid-October to late November.
Several individuals have wintered successfully as far north as
Massachusetts, where one female (affectionately named “Rufy”) returned
to successfully winter in a Bay State greenhouse for at least six years
in a row (1996-2002). It appears that immatures that stray to the East
and survive the winter are likely to return in the following year, and
there are numerous records of banded birds reappearing in subsequent
years. Several remarkable banded birds that have been captured in the
Southeast and recovered near or on the breeding grounds (e.g., one
Virginia Rufous was recovered in Montana, and was found back in Virginia
the next winter!). Survivorship of such birds probably also account for
increasing ratios of adults noted in the East. Some adult males may
appear as early as July or early August, corresponding to their
migration patterns in the West. Adult females arrive later (September or
October, typically), while the immatures are the latest to appear.
Rufous is certainly not the only species possible though–the pool of
additional species is large. In addition to Ruby-throated and Rufous,
three others have been recorded with regularity in recent years and
eight others (13 species in all) have appeared at least once on the East
coast: Calliope, Black-chinned, and Allen’s are all occurring annually
(or nearly so) from North Carolina north; Broad-billed, Anna’s, and
Broad-tailed all have multiple records, and Buff-bellied, Magnificent,
and Green Violetear all have a handful. The rarest of the rare,
Blue-throated Hummingbird, Violet-crowned Hummingbird and Green-breasted
Mango have each occurred once, once, and twice, respectively. See
Appendix A for help with identification and Appendix B for more detail
on these species and their occurrence on the East coast.
It is worth pointing out, though, that late-season Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds are on the upswing as well. In the Carolinas, where
wintering Ruby-throateds were once unheard of, the species now occurs
regularly on several coastal Christmas Bird Counts where it is even more
likely than Rufous Hummingbird. To the north, there are a growing
handful of records of Ruby-throateds appearing at feeders in November,
December, and even attempting to winter. So don’t rule out the expected
summer hummingbird, but do remember that it may not be the most likely
option after November.
Birders hosting rare western hummingbirds should consider having
their hummingbird banded for species identification and to contribute to
our body of knowledge on their movements. A fair number of hummingbirds
ARE recovered. Note that one in Vienna, VA, in 2007 disappeared late in
the season and moved 15 mi southwest. We know this only because of the
banding efforts. Others in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast are known to
return to the same feeder year after year and the amount of fascinating
information the banders down there generate is incredible. The danger to
the bird is minute and the information to be gained is vast. Contact us
(ebird@cornell.edu) or send a post to your local listserv to try to
contact a bander in your area.
ATTRACTING HUMMINGBIRDS
Birders hoping to attract any of these late season hummingbirds
should get their feeders up NOW, and not take them down until
mid-December or later.
A few tips:
* Put your feeder up near areas of good cover (especially evergreens
like cedars, boxwoods, hollies, etc.) if possible. In cold weather
hummingbirds will need these areas for roosting and the better the
protection, the better for the bird. Weedy areas (such as those with
lots of goldenrod) may hold insects which can provide good supplemental
energy for the hummingbird as well.
* If cold weather (below freezing) is forecast, you should take your
feeder inside at night and put it back out in the early morning. Some
people have rigged up small heaters for their feeders to keep them
thawed. Some have used a low watt heat lamp rigged up in an outdoor
hanging fixture (like the lamps used raising baby chickens) with the
feeder hanging under the lamp. Be aware that if the water in the feeder
freezes, the hummingbird may not survive long.
* If you have any late season flowers those will help to attract late
hummingbirds also, and may be better than a feeder at least as long as
the flowers survive. By clipping blooms that appear early, you can
manage your garden to peak later in the season. Several websites discuss
hummingbird plantings and some also recommend which plants are hardy
enough to last in cold weather. Various types of Salvia (Sage) are the
perennial favorite late-blooming flower for hummingbirds, and may last
into November in the Northeast. Particular favorites are the
red-flowering Salvia spendens and Pineapple Sage Salvia elegans. Late
fall hummingbirds have also been observed visiting Lobelias, Bee balm
Monarda didyma, and jewelweed. Also Salvia leucantha (striking white
flowers protruding from velvety purple calyces) known as Velvet Sage or
Mexican Bush Sage, and Salvia guaranitica (blue) Anise Sage (Black and
Blue is a favored variety) are excellent and may bloom until the first
frost or beyond. Native trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens is
another good late blooming hummingbird plant. Trellised in a protected
spot, this may remain blooming and re-bloom in late autumn and winter
warm spells. Blue-black Sage Salvia guaranitica is harder to find, but
may bloom from May until the first frost. Turtlehead, both the wild
white and the cultivated pink, bloom well into September and later even
as far north as Maine.
* It has been suggested that hanging lots of red Christmas ribbon,
red surveyor’s tape, and other red items around the yards may help to be
sure that hummingbirds do not pass you by. Some believe the
hummingbirds fly down pathways (like roads) and have trails of red
leading from the road up to their house. It also might be a good idea to
plant other late blooming flowers (like petunias and mums) even though
they do not provide nectar for hummingbirds.
WHAT KIND IS IT?
We provide some tips on identification in Appendix A, as well as some
recommended resources. However, we can help with hummingbird
identification and will help with getting the word out to people that
will help with identification and banding efforts. Contact us at
ebird@cornell.edu.
MORE INFO
There are a number of websites that discuss vagrant hummingbirds, feeding them, and banding them. One good site is:
http://www.trochilids.com/
This site has almost anything you could want to know about the
hummingbirds, how to care for them, what they are, where they come from,
and where vagrant hummingbirds have appeared (try the maps!).
The Hummer Bird and Study Group, founded by Bob and Martha Sargent,
has another excellent website with a focus on winter hummingbirds:
http://www.hummingbirdsplus.org/
An excellent site concerning hummingbirds in the Northeast, including vagrant news year-by-year (with photos), is:
http://www.nehummers.com/
To find other sites, follow the many links from
http://www.trochilids.com, or try:
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ResearchHummerVagrantMain.html
http://www.gahummer.org
http://www.rubythroat.org/FeedersMain.html
WRAP-UP
We still have a lot to learn about how and why these hummingbirds are
getting here, where they go from here, and what their survivorship is.
Some people might fear that leaving their feeders up might induce
hummingbirds to stay later than they should, but this isn’t really the
case. Migration of hummingbirds, and other obligate migrants, is
triggered by changes in daylight (just about the only thing constant
from year to year) and not weather or the availability of food. When
they’re ready, they’ll go. Furthermore, for starters, almost all
Ruby-throateds are gone by now anyway. Second, if a Rufous successfully
winters at a feeder, it has saved a long and perilous migration where
there is no certainty of finding another good food source. Third, these
birds arrived here of their own power and/or volition. They will leave
for better climes if they feel it is necessary. Winters are hard on
birds, even “winter birds”, but remember that so is migration. It is a
constant trade-off for birds whether to risk a cold winter in order to
outweigh the dangers of a long migration.
Put out those feeders and you may well be rewarded with a rare
western visitor! Let us know if you are so lucky and be sure to report
your visitor in eBird!!
APPENDIX A–IDENTIFICATION
Identification of female and immature hummingbirds is extremely
difficult, and sometimes is not even possible in the field. If you are
hosting ANY hummingbird later than mid-October, it would be of great
interest to have it documented and correctly identified. In addition to
standard field guides there are two excellent guides to hummingbird
identification with lots of color photos in each, and information on
ageing and sexing as well is identifying hummingbirds.
Howell, S.N.G. 2002. Hummingbirds of North America: The Photographic Guide. Nature World, San Diego, CA.
Williamson, S.L. 2001. A Field Guide to the Hummingbirds of North America. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA.
To document your hummingbird, GET A PHOTO. If you don’t have a
digital camera, invite a friend over who does. Even a “point and shoot”
camera can sometimes get an identifiable photo (especially if the feeder
is close to the house), and those smaller cameras can often get
identifiable pictures by putting them up to binoculars or a telescope
(see
http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2007/01/what-is-digiscope.html
). The larger the image of the hummingbird in the photograph (which
means getting as close as possible) and the higher the quality of the
photo, the better. If you can photograph the hummingbird in several
postures, that is even more helpful, and if you can snap a shot of the
spread tail while the bird is hovering, that is ideal since some species
are most easily identified by tail pattern. If you can get the
hummingbird in several postures, that is even better and if you can get a
photo of the spread tail while the bird is hovering, that is ideal. To
be really thorough, you might also try to get video (tail actions of
some hummingbirds are of use) or sound recordings (call notes are always
helpful for species identification). Once you have a photo, there are
many expert birders who can help. Feel free to contact us at
ebird@cornell.edu and we will get back to you as soon as possible with
an identification and advice. Alternatively, you could post a note to
your local internet listserv that discusses birds–find information on
these at
http://birding.aba.org/.
Since most non-Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are of the genus
Selasphorus (formerly Rufous, Allen’s and Broad-tailed, and Calliope),
they tend to be easily recognized by the bright orangeish or cinnamon
wash on the flanks. A flash of Rufous in the tail is also diagnostic for
Selasphorus hummingbirds. Be careful though, since some young
Ruby-throateds can have a faint buff wash on the flanks. Call notes of
these species are softer and twangier than the full sounding chips that
we hear at our feeders all summer from Ruby-throateds. For Calliope,
wings extending past the tail is a good clue but the face pattern, with a
lobe of pale protruding into the lores (the area between the bill and
the eye), is diagnostic. Adult male Rufous or Allen’s Hummingbirds are
almost entirely rufous or orangeish in color. Adult males of all species
are distinctive and well covered in field guides (although adult male
Allen’s are not separable from green-backed variant Rufous). Female and
immature Selasphorus are so difficult to identify that close-up video
and or photography, or in-hand measurements, would be necessary to
confirm species identification.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are even harder to separate from female
Black-chinned, and in-hand measurements or close-up photos are essential
to confirm species identification. Look carefully for colored feathers
in the throat though–even a single feather could be of assistance, since
Ruby-throated would have a red feather while Black-chinned would have a
purple feathers. Female Black-chinneds do differ from Ruby-throateds in
bill length, subtleties of color, face pattern, and details of the
primary feather shape, which could potentially be assessed from close-up
video or photography. Van Remsen (in Louisiana) believes that any
Ruby-throated/Black-chinned that wags its tail WHILE FEEDING is sure to
be a Black-chinned. Ruby-throateds flick and wag their tail while
hovering near the feeder, but when their bill is in the feeder, their
tails little more than quiver.
Finally, females of Ruby-throated and Black-chinned should be
carefully separated from Anna’s Hummingbird. Anna’s has a very different
call, is more pot-bellied, and has a greenish wash on the sides and
dingier underparts. One of the best field marks is one of the most
subtle–are the inner primaries (wing feathers) as wide as the outer
ones? If so, it indicates that it is not in the genus Archilochus and
thus not a Ruby-throated or Black-chinned–it may be an Anna’s!
Several of the rarest species are easily recognized since they are
VASTLY larger than Ruby-throated, including Green-breasted Mango, Green
Violetear, Blue-throated Hummingbird, and Magnificent Hummingbird.
APPENDIX B–STATUS
After Ruby-throated, Rufous Hummingbird is the next most common
species and most states get several per fall now. A summary of other
vagrant hummingbirds on the East coast, with rough tallies for the
number of state records, is below:
Calliope Hummingbird–Recorded from Maine (2), Massachusetts (4),
Connecticut (4), New York (~3), Pennsylvania (2), New Jersey (5),
Maryland (4), and has multiple records for Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Georgia. Almost all records are females or
immatures, but in October 2007 New Jersey had the first adult male north
of the Carolinas and another followed in Massachusetts in Aug 2008.
This species has occurred almost exclusively in the fall, from late
September to January in the Northeast (has wintered in Southeast). It
nests in the Northwest and winters in west Mexico.
Black-chinned Hummingbird–Recorded from Massachusetts (4; including 2
in 2007!), New Jersey (3), District of Columbia (1), West Virginia (1),
Virginia (3), and is regular in North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Georgia. These records have been almost exclusively from October to
December in the Northeast (has wintered in Southeast). An exceptional
record was the August 2006 adult male banded in Massachusetts. This
species breeds east to Colorado and south Texas, and winters in Mexico.
Allen’s Hummingbird–Recorded from Massachusetts (6), New Jersey (3),
Pennsylvania (2), Delaware (1), Virginia (3), Maryland (2), and more for
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The earliest records have
been in late August (Massachusetts), but most have corresponded to the
Rufous Hummingbird peak from mid-October to late November.
Exceptionally, an adult male appeared in Massachusetts in March 2012,
possibly a bird that wintered farther south and migrated north. Given
the extreme difficulty of separating this species from Rufous
Hummingbird (possible only with adult males and birds measured in hand),
it is certain that this species has occurred more often than it has
been recognized. Although most Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbirds have proven
to be Rufous, it is still worthwhile to attempt to band and measure each
individual to determine the relative prevalence of Allen’s.
Broad-billed Hummingbird–Recorded from Connecticut (1), Massachusetts
(1), Nova Scotia (1), New York (1), North Carolina (1), and South
Carolina (2). Records of this species have been from both July and
October. This species is resident in Mexico and nests north to Arizona.
![BRBH1](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vsteDOmAtne8i6pk79YB2iEwVD2hvuAcR_adyD5F6bMPd_Q-8Byn8AoxFOg4Ws_mytCmn6tuqcOCVgBSGwtXt1SQNzY58tlbO1iufo0TvNGRqLJ-ILFvvqxZktgsbUaDVv=s0-d)
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Dennis, MA, 25 Aug 2008. This adult male
represented the first record for Massachusetts. Photo by Peter Trimble.
Anna’s Hummingbird–Recorded from New York (2), Pennsylvania (1),
Maryland (2), North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The
similarity of this species to Archilochus hummingbirds (Ruby-throated
and Black-chinned) may mean that this species is overlooked. See ID
section for assistance with recognizing the subtle females of this
species.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird–Another Rufous Hummingbird look-alike (like
Allen’s), this species may also occur more regularly than it has been
noted. The northernmost record to date is one that wintered in Cape May,
NJ, in 2011-2012. On the Gulf Coast it is rarer than Calliope and
Allen’s; the several records from Georgia and the Carolinas are the only
records to date from the East coast.
Buff-bellied Hummingbird–Recorded thus far only from the Southeast,
with records from Georgia and North Carolina (1). Seems to be increasing
in winter throughout the Southeast, and to be expected to stray farther
north eventually.
Green Violetear–Recorded from Maine (1), New Jersey (1), North
Carolina (2), Maryland (2), and West Virginia (1). The temporal pattern
of this species is more erratic, with appearances in July and August
(West Virginia, Maine, New Jersey) and September and October (North
Carolina, Maryland).
Magnificent Hummingbird–Although it is a frequent stray to the north
in the Rocky Mountains, this species is not noted for straying east but
has been recorded in Minnesota, Arkansas, and Alabama. A couple records
for Georgia and one from Virginia 22 to 25 Oct 2003 constitute the only
records for this Region.
Blue-throated Hummingbird–Although a few have strayed to the Gulf
Coast states in fall and winter, one in South Carolina 31 July 1993
defines the limits of this species’ vagrancy shadow.
Green-breasted Mango–The fall 2007 season was been punctuated by TWO
Green-breasted Mangos! The first appeared in the late summer in
Wisconsin remained into November. A remarkable second appeared at a
Dublin, Georgia, feeder in late October. The only prior U.S. record
north of Texas pertained to an immature male that appeared at Concord,
NC, 12 November to 7 December 2000. This species ranges from Panama
north to Northeast Mexico and has strayed about a dozen times to South
Texas. Another remarkable out-of-range record of this species came this
year from Wisconsin.
Violet-crowned Hummingbird–One near Roanoke, Virginia, in June (!)
2009, is one of the more remarkable eastern records of stray
hummingbirds. Otherwise it has not been recorded straying east of Texas,
but does stray northward on the West Coast in fall and winter and is to
be watched for in the East as well. Native to West Mexico, occurring
north to southernmost Arizona.
NOT YET RECORDED
Costa’s Hummingbird—Recorded from Minnesota and Colorado in late fall
and Alabama in winter, it is to be expected in the Northeast. Native to
the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of Northwest Mexico and the Desert
Southwest.
White-eared Hummingbird–Recorded from Colorado twice in summer, once
in Michigan in summer, and once from Mississippi in winter; to be
watched for. Native to west Mexico, with small numbers north to Arizona.
Lucifer Hummingbird–Another species that has not strayed east of
Texas, this one could show up farther to the east. Native to central and
western Mexico, and the Big Bend region of Texas.
WEST COAST–On the West Coast, watch for the following species:
Broad-billed (November-April), Ruby-throated (August-November),
Violet-crowned (November-March), Magnificent (October-April), Costa’s,
Allen’s, Rufous, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Black-chinned, and others.
Unlike the East coast, where any hummingbird is noteworthy, Anna’s
Hummingbird is common in most areas and thus obscures the appearance of
many of these species. Still, it is worth watching for them all!