Comments on: Hummingbird Central http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/hummingbird-central/ Life at Heritage Oak Winery Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:38:14 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Andy Pfeffer http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/hummingbird-central/#comment-17 Andy Pfeffer Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:33:15 +0000 http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/?p=119#comment-17 So excited to see this on your blog, Tom! While I agree with the difficulty of female ID between Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, given that Acampo doesn't fall in their range overlap I think it's pretty safe to assume they are Black-chinned's. Personally, I haven't heard any Ruby-throated's on your property but that's the great thing about birds, they are constantly popping up in unexpected places! So excited to see this on your blog, Tom! While I agree with the difficulty of female ID between Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, given that Acampo doesn’t fall in their range overlap I think it’s pretty safe to assume they are Black-chinned’s. Personally, I haven’t heard any Ruby-throated’s on your property but that’s the great thing about birds, they are constantly popping up in unexpected places!

]]> By: Tom Hoffman http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/hummingbird-central/#comment-15 Tom Hoffman Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:56:32 +0000 http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/?p=119#comment-15 Zoe Ann, thank you for your contribution. Do you think my way of estimating the bird population is accurate, with each bird roughly consuming 3 oz. per day? Zoe Ann, thank you for your contribution. Do you think my way of estimating the bird population is accurate, with each bird roughly consuming 3 oz. per day?

]]> By: Zoe Ann Hinds http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/hummingbird-central/#comment-14 Zoe Ann Hinds Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:27:55 +0000 http://heritageoakwinery.wordpress.com/?p=119#comment-14 The Black-chinned Hummingbird is the more western cousin of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This type of hummingbird can be found in deciduous and evergreen oak woodlands, riparian forests, chaparral, desert washes, canyon bottoms and our gardens. The Black-chinned Hummingbird prefers sites that have a low percentage of canopy cover. This type of hummingbird is generally duller in color than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and it also has a shorter tail and longer bill then their western cousin the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Male Black-chinned Hummingbirds are unmistakable when you have a clear view of them. The same cannot be said of the females. Females are similar to a number of other female hummingbirds, and the best way to tell them from the Calliope Hummingbird and species in the genus Selasphorus by their lack of rufous on the flanks and in the tail. Anna's Hummingbirds are larger and have grayer chests, while Costa's Hummingbirds differ only in subtleties of facial pattern and tail pattern. Black-chinned Hummingbird females are not safely separable from female Ruby-throateds except in the hand. The best way to distinguish the Black-chinned Hummingbird from all other hummingbird species, except the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, is by their call. The Black-chinned Hummingbird is the more western cousin of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This type of hummingbird can be found in deciduous and evergreen oak woodlands, riparian forests, chaparral, desert washes, canyon bottoms and our gardens. The Black-chinned Hummingbird prefers sites that have a low percentage of canopy cover. This type of hummingbird is generally duller in color than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and it also has a shorter tail and longer bill then their western cousin the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Male Black-chinned Hummingbirds are unmistakable when you have a clear view of them. The same cannot be said of the females. Females are similar to a number of other female hummingbirds, and the best way to tell them from the Calliope Hummingbird and species in the genus Selasphorus by their lack of rufous on the flanks and in the tail. Anna’s Hummingbirds are larger and have grayer chests, while Costa’s Hummingbirds differ only in subtleties of facial pattern and tail pattern. Black-chinned Hummingbird females are not safely separable from female Ruby-throateds except in the hand. The best way to distinguish the Black-chinned Hummingbird from all other hummingbird species, except the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, is by their call.

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