6 replies to this topic

[eb2156a]

Hello all! I took this photo today in Madera Canyon, AZ at an elevation of about 5000 feet. The bird I have a question about is on the right. I think the one on the left is a female Broad-billed Hummingbird and I have a guess about what the one on the right is, but I wanted to get the opinion of anyone willing to give it. Thanks for the help!

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[ginspin16]

i'd say they're both broadbilleds. a young male on the left and adult male on the right

[Benjamin DeHaven]

Not that I'm an expert on Hummingbirds, but my Stokes makes it seem that an adult male Broad-billed Hummingbird should have a mostly orange beak, "bill red based, black-tipped". And even accounting for lighting I just don't see the right hand bird being the Broad-billed hummingbird based on the images presented to me in Stokes. That being said, nothing else in my book looks like it either so I can't help on that front.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

I haven't seen either of these personally, so take my ID with a grain of salt, but both look good for Broad-Billed to me. Pretty sure the left hand bird is either a female or immature male, but I'm not sure I see enough field marks to call the right hand bird.

[HawkyGal]

I bumped up the lighting in photoshop to try and see any extra details in the photo. On my monitor anyway it was really pretty dark to start with anyway heres the photo lighted up a bit. There appears to be a white spot behind the eye, that would be consistant with a broad billed male adult. However i'm really brand new to this so take my thoughts with a whole handful of salt

Attached Files

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[eb2156a]

Thanks all! After looking at it some more I think it is a Broad-billed Hybrid of some sort. It has a lot of Broad-billed characteristics, but is too green, has no orange bill, and lacks the blue that they typically have on their throat. I don't know what the other species is, but I am pretty sure it is a hybrid.

[TheBillyPilgrim]

Thanks all! After looking at it some more I think it is a Broad-billed Hybrid of some sort. It has a lot of Broad-billed characteristics, but is too green, has no orange bill, and lacks the blue that they typically have on their throat. I don't know what the other species is, but I am pretty sure it is a hybrid.

I'd be a little cautious about calling something a hybrid from just one photo, especially without identifying any characteristics that point to another species. This photo is pretty dark, which is likely hiding any orange that could be on the bill. Additionally, the throat of a hummingbird is iridescent and often only shows its signature color from certain angles. From other angles, it often appears black. I believe that's the case in this shot.