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Beautiful new hummer!!! But who is it???


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#1 Aveschapines

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 05:18 PM

Hummers are SO hard to identify!

New at my feeder today (hope s/he stays around, unlike the Rufous Sabrewings that visited for a few weeks and then were gone). Medium size - a bit bigger than a White-Eared, not as big as a Magnificent. Green on top, blue underneath; noticeable blue auricular patches (which I did NOT see as violet); brilliant cobalt belly; darker blue undertail; long, all-black bill; light vent and untacs; rounded tail, not especially wide. Not a Broad-Tailed nor a Doubleday due to black bill and tail definitely NOT notched. My only guess at this point is Green Violet-Ear, but the tail is rounded and not square, and I didn't see any violet on the bird (and I got several sustained looks within a meter in bright sunlight).

Today, on my patio in an urban area adjacent to rural area with small farms, undeveloped woods and mountainsides. Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, 8500 ft/ 2300 mts.

Thanks! I got three pretty good pics, one shows the undertail in detail.
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#2 RustyE

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 05:34 PM

The best match I could come up with is a Green Violet-Ear. I would wait others to weigh in.
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#3 GreatHorn

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 05:44 PM

I know absolutely nothing about hummingbirds, but Green Violetear seems like a good guess. I see some violet on the bird?

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#4 Aveschapines

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 05:53 PM

Thanks guys! My guides talked about glittering violet auricular patches and blueish violet on the chest; I saw it as blue. Also the tail is definitely rounded. I'm hoping to get a look at the top of the tail to look for the dark band that GVE should have.
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#5 Parula

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 06:01 PM

green violetear for sure
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#6 psweet

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 06:50 PM

If you have a local field guide, check it. In Ecuador, this would be a Sparkling Violet-ear, based on the blue on the chest. Farther north where the Sparkling doesn't occur, the Green Violet-ear actually has the blue on the chest. I don't have any info on where those two ranges run, I'm afraid.

#7 Aveschapines

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 09:06 PM

If you have a local field guide, check it. In Ecuador, this would be a Sparkling Violet-ear, based on the blue on the chest. Farther north where the Sparkling doesn't occur, the Green Violet-ear actually has the blue on the chest. I don't have any info on where those two ranges run, I'm afraid.


Yes, I have several field guides and a good species/range list for Guatemala. Sparkling Violet-Ear is not in range, Green Violet-Ear is.
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#8 psweet

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Posted 01 September 2012 - 11:30 PM

Then it looks like you've got a Green Violet-Ear, allright. Nice find!

#9 Aveschapines

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Posted 02 September 2012 - 03:03 AM

A local birder friend confirmed for me too. Thanks all! It's a gorgeous bird!
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