Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird Tail

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

Female ruby throated hummingbird tail.

Ruby throated hummingbirds are tiny birds they weigh between about 0 1 and 0 2 ounces and measure between 2 8 to 3 5 inches in length. To get there from their north american breeding grounds some birds embark on a marathon nonstop flight across the gulf of mexico. Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of hummingbirds each summer. Each feather is rounded and the tail is fan shaped.

The flight feathers of ruby throated hummingbirds include 10 full length primary feathers six secondary feathers and 10 rectrices the largest feathers used for flight. Almost all hummingbirds of 7 years or more in age are females with males rarely surviving past 5 years of age. Adult male ruby throated hummingbirds above left have pointed rectrices tail feathers that are all dark with no white tips. These brilliant tiny precision flying creatures glitter like jewels in the full sun then vanish with a zip toward the next nectar source.

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. The ruby throated hummingbird s tongue is even longer. However young males above right like females of any age have white tips on the outer three rectrices on each side. Female ruby throated hummingbird taking various defensive and evasive actions around a man made feeder.

While tiny and hard to see the chins of these birds can be an obvious field mark. The tail is forked. The female ruby throated hummingbird doesn t get the fancy gorget. On females the broad tailed hummingbird has a streaked throat while the female ruby throated hummingbird s throat is much more plain and any streaks would be very faint.

As with other hummingbird species the beak of the ruby throated hummingbird is exceptionally long and narrow. The oldest known ruby throated hummingbird to be banded was 9 years and 1 month of age. The outer three tail feathers on each side have white tips and when perched the tail is slightly longer than the folded wingtips. Ruby throated hummingbirds winter in mexico and central america.