Juvenile Ruby Throated Hummingbird Female

A flash of green and red the ruby throated hummingbird is eastern north america s sole breeding hummingbird.

Juvenile ruby throated hummingbird female.

There it is fairly common in summer in open woods and gardens. In good light male rufous hummingbirds glow like coals. It is the only species of hummingbird to breed in the eastern united states. Hundreds of kinds of hummingbirds nest in the american tropics and more than a dozen in the western u s but east of the great plains there is only the ruby throat.

While females have very faint gray streaks on the throat juvenile male ruby throated hummingbirds have much bolder streaks that will gradually show the red iridescence characteristic of their fathers. Juvenile male ruby throated hummingbird hovering this hummingbird is from 7 to 9 cm 2 8 to 3 5 in long and has an 8 to 11 cm 3 1 to 4 3 in wingspan. Note that young males see next section resemble females. Female ruby throated hummingbirds of any age have a white throat that is sometimes marked with faint gray or buffy streaking two photos above.

The differences in male female and juvenile ruby throated hummingbirds are subtle but if you know what to look for you can identify between the three fairly easily. Hovering in front of a flower to sip nectar it beats its wings more than 50 times per second. Bright orange on the back and belly with a vivid iridescent red throat. These brilliant tiny precision flying creatures glitter like jewels in the full sun then vanish with a zip toward the next nectar source.

Females are green above with rufous washed flanks rufous patches in the green tail and often a spot of orange in the throat. Very very rarely they may have a single red feather on the throat. Spencer follett macaulay library. Weight can range from 2 to 6 g 0 071 to 0 212 oz with males averaging 3 4 g 0 12 oz against the slightly larger female which averages 3 8 g 0 13 oz.

Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of hummingbirds each summer. Young birds may show a few red spots near the base of the throat and those spots will eventually become a full colorful gorget. Keep in mind that from the beginning to the middle of the hummingbird season mid april to mid july you won t be seeing any juvenile birds. It is difficult to tell a juvenile ruby throated hummingbird from a female of the same species.