On 9/11/2011 7:41 PM, Sean Williams wrote: > Hi Joanne, > > Your hummingbird indeed has some rufous wash to the flanks. However, young > Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can show this feature, with some individuals > being very rufous on the flanks. If rufous is not apparent on anywhere else > on the bird (like the back or the head), the KEY area that needs to show > rufous is the base of the outer tail feathers. Here is a photo sent to me > last year that I was originally SURE that it was a Rufous Hummingbird based > on the amount of rufous on the flanks: > > http://tinyurl.com/3e2qcd5 > > It turned out to be a very buffy Ruby-throated, with rufous present no where > else but the flanks. Here's a photo that shows a Rufous Hummingbird that has > the rufous on the flanks and tail, but nowhere else: > > http://gerlachnaturephoto.com/Photos/Rufous2.jpg > > > Best of birding to all! > > Sean > I suspeced it was actually a young ruby throated, but the rufous wash took me by surprise. The bird always looked like a ruby throated, mostly green, and I did not notice the rusty sides until I reviewed the pictures. The bird was visiting during mid-August, and most rufous hummers appear here a little later. Thank you. Joanne Konst ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]