strange hummingbird
 

We were sitting outside this afternoon and couldn't believe our
eyes! A black and white hummingbird! After a frustrating search
on google it may be either a female blue throated or a Lucifer
hummingbird. Is that possible? Any good hummingbird
identification sites you all have found?
Thanks,
Jeny

strange hummingbird
 

"Raleighgirl" wrote in message
. com...
We were sitting outside this afternoon and couldn't believe our
eyes! A black and white hummingbird! After a frustrating search
on google it may be either a female blue throated or a Lucifer
hummingbird. Is that possible? Any good hummingbird
identification sites you all have found?
Thanks,
Jeny

It's rare, but not unheard of, for species other than ruby throated
hummingbirds to visit the Eastern US. I found a decent ID site with lots of
pictures at http://home.earthlink.net/~zoiseaux. The site also gives some
tips for identification. It's possible what you saw was a female or
juvenile ruby throated - check the pictures and see if any of them
approximate what you saw. Here's another pretty thorough hummingbird ID
site: http://wwww.portalproductions.com/h/id.htm with links to pictures and
range maps.

strange hummingbird
 

"Jennifer Richards" wrote in message
. com...
|
| "Raleighgirl" wrote in message
| . com...
| We were sitting outside this afternoon and couldn't believe
our
| eyes! A black and white hummingbird! After a frustrating
search
| on google it may be either a female blue throated or a
Lucifer
| hummingbird. Is that possible? Any good hummingbird
| identification sites you all have found?
| Thanks,
| Jeny
|
| It's rare, but not unheard of, for species other than ruby
throated
| hummingbirds to visit the Eastern US. I found a decent ID site
with lots of
| pictures at http://home.earthlink.net/~zoiseaux. The site also
gives some
| tips for identification. It's possible what you saw was a
female or
| juvenile ruby throated - check the pictures and see if any of
them
| approximate what you saw. Here's another pretty thorough
hummingbird ID
| site: http://wwww.portalproductions.com/h/id.htm with links to
pictures and
| range maps.
|
WOW Jennifer, everything you wanted to know about hummers and
more! Thanks for the websites.
Jeny

strange hummingbird
 

If you get a look in better lighting and are sure it isn't a
Ruby-throated, you can report it at this site:

http://www.naturalsciences.org/nchummers/

Neither Blue-throated nor Lucifer has been seen in NC, but that doesn't
mean they couldn't show up here.

Raleighgirl wrote:
We were sitting outside this afternoon and couldn't believe our
eyes! A black and white hummingbird! After a frustrating search
on google it may be either a female blue throated or a Lucifer
hummingbird. Is that possible? Any good hummingbird
identification sites you all have found?
Thanks,
Jeny

strange hummingbird
 

[oops, I mistakenly sent my reply to Jeny directly without "editing" her
email address, so it bounced -- you'd think I'd learn how to respond to
newsgroup posts, but nooooooo...... :( in any event, here goes]

Jeny,

I think that your "black and white" hummingbird may have simply been a wet
female Ruby-throated Hummingbird (the only species normally seen in the
Eastern US, except for the occasional overwintering Rufuous Hummingbird).

Although the various bird guides show the female Ruby-throated as green on
the back (along with just about every other hummer in the world, as far as I
can see), they simply don't always look the same way! Sometimes they seem
green, sometimes just dark, depending on light, etc. They may also look
different when moulting (growing new feathers), but I think this is the
wrong time of year for that.

For info on hummingbirds in general, I suggest you visit
http://www.rubythroat.org/OtherSpeciesMain.html

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh

"Raleighgirl" wrote in message
. com...
We were sitting outside this afternoon and couldn't believe our
eyes! A black and white hummingbird! After a frustrating search
on google it may be either a female blue throated or a Lucifer
hummingbird. Is that possible? Any good hummingbird
identification sites you all have found?
Thanks,
Jeny