Date: 9/19/25 1:13 pm From: Wayne Hoffman (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Rufous Hummingbird in Wilmington
Hi -
Thanks Susan and Len -
You are of course correct that the look I got was not sufficient to distinguish Rufous from Allen's. Based on what I saw, I think it is highly unlikely that it was Calliope or Broad-tailed, although those species also have females and young with green backs, white throats, and rufous flanks,
The bird was at close range (~2.5-3 M) and probed briefly into Turks Cap (Malvaviscus) flowers. The dorsum was iridescent green, the throat white with black dotting. Flanks were extensively rufous, with little if any green at their upper edges. Chest and belly were white and the white of the throat/chest extended well up towards the nape, making a sharp anterior edge to the flank patch. The bird was present for less than 30 seconds.
I am originally from Oregon and lived among Rufous Hummingbirds for many years, I have enough experience with Calliope Hummingbird to say that this bird did not show the jizz of that species, I have less experience with Broad-tailed, but my impression is that they seem bigger, or at least bulkier than Rufous and Allen's.
Wayne
From: "Len (null)" <lenkopka...>
To: "Susan Campbell" <susan...>
Cc: "whoffman" <whoffman...>, "CarolinaBirds" <carolinabirds...>
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2025 1:39:11 PM
Subject: Re: Rufous Hummingbird in Wilmington
Wayne,
I would also like to know the field marks that were used to ID it. So please include me in your reply - or make it public so others can learn also.
Thank you.
Len Kopka
On Sep 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM, Susan Campbell <susan...> wrote:
BQ_BEGIN
All,
interesting! Given it was not an adult male, we need to designate the hummer as a Selasphorus.
Wayne— could you email me privately with your description of the hummingbird??
Winter hummingbird season will be upon us before we know it!
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of whoffman <carolinabirds...>
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2025 12:34:44 PM
To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Rufous Hummingbird in Wilmington
I just saw a Rufous Hummingbird in the New Hanover Arboretum. It fed briefly on the little hibiscus in the circular butterfly flower exhibit.
