On December 7, 2001 at the Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers, New York, Hugh Martin noticed a "second hummingbird" in a patch of Salvia that had been used by a first year male Rufous Hummingbird since November 17, 2001. Observation and identification of this second hummingbird was impaired by "aggressive interactions" between the two birds. The second bird was ultimately identified as belonging to the Archilochus genus based largely on overall structure and the lack of rufous in the tail. This would make the bird either a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) or a Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri). The bird was observed again the following day by several observers. This time Andrew Guthrie obtained digital photographs of the bird. These photographs and an excellent discussion of the bird in question can be seen at:
Although no one has been so bold as to positively ID the mystery Archilochus to species, the general consensus among several experienced birders is that the bird is most likely a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Phil's notes: probably some stuff here of no previous records of BCHU in NYS, and the late dates for RTHU
On December 18, 2002 Ben Cacace, Phil Jeffrey, and myself saw the mystery Archilochus. We observed the bird for more than an hour as it fed low on the Salvia and perched deep within it. It seemed weary and was frequently chased by the aggressive first year male Rufous Hummingbird. Phil Jeffrey and I were able to obtain several photographs of the Archilochus hummingbird. Phil's equipment consisted of a tripod-mounted Canon 500mm f4.0 IS telephoto lens with a 2X tele-converter, a Canon EOS 3 camera, a Canon 550 EX flash, and a flash extender. My equipment was similar and consisted of a tripod- mounted Canon 600mm f4.0 IS telephoto lens with a 1.4X tele-converter, a Canon EOS 1V camera, a Canon 550 EX flash, and a flash extender.
My field impression of the bird was that it exhibited many of the characteristics of Black-chinned Hummingbird. The major reason for this determination was the very wide outer primary feathers that were easily viewed as the bird sat low in the Salvia. The relatively gray head, gray nape, dull overall color, and tail movement while feeding also impressed me. I was able to view and photograph the underside of the primaries from a vantage point about 18 inches off the ground. Inspection of the images and further study of the Black-chinned/Ruby-throated Hummingbird identification issues confirmed and enforced my initial impression. Not only do I think the mystery Archilochus is a Black-chinned Hummingbird, it is most likely a first-year female Black-chinned Hummingbird based on the lack of gorget feathers and primary shape.
I present several of Phil Jeffrey's and my images here as well as a discussion of why I think the mystery Archilochus is most likely a Black-chinned Hummingbird. It will help the reader to secure a copy of Steve Howell's Hummingbirds of North America: The Photographic Guide, and Peter Pyle's Identification Guide to North American Birds since I will be referencing them extensively. Also, I reference and provide links to several web sites on the subject.
My opinion that the Lenoir Archilochus is most likely a Black-chinned Hummingbird is based on two major and several minor field-marks:
Outer Primary Shape: This is probably the best single field-mark for separating female/immature Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Howell notes (on page 137) that the "best feature is wing shape, especially the shape of P10: Ruby-throated has a relatively narrower and more tapered primaries throughout, often most noticeable on P8-P10 such that wing tip appears relatively narrow and tapered on Ruby-throated, broad and blunt-tipped on Black-chinned." Pyle echoes the importance of the outer primary shape in separating female/immature Black-chinned from Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Pyle's "Figure 97" and "Table 2" (pages 134-135) demonstrate the variation in the width and shape of the outer primaries by species, age, and sex. It should be noted that while it is true that immatures and females demonstrate the broadest and most blunt-tipped outer primaries within a species, there should be no overlap in this character between species.
The quality of images I obtained of the Lenoir Archilochus as it perched deep within the salvia suffer from the low light conditions and obstructions present there. However, they still clearly demonstrate the broad and blunt-tipped shape of the outer primary feathers. The feather shape is not only consistent with Black-chinned Hummingbird; the shape is most consistent with a first-year female Black-chinned Hummingbird, which demonstrates the broadest and most blunt-tipped outer primaries.
It should be noted that the primaries are not seen as well on Andy Guthrie's images for a number of reasons. The most important of these is perspective. I was photographing the bird from below as it held its wings below its tail. Andy probably photographed it from near eye-level. The importance of the perspective from which one views the primaries of an Archilochus hummingbird is illustrated in figure's XXXX. These images of a well-confirmed adult female Black-chinned Hummingbird and were taken in December 2000 at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Texas. In image XX the outer primaries are edge-on and give the impression that they are narrow and tapered as would be expected in a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. In image XX, the primaries show more aspect and one can clearly see that they are very broad and blunt-tipped. I e-mailed images XX and XX of the Bentsen Black-chinned Hummingbird to several of the birders who saw the Lenoir Archilochus. Interestingly, two of the birders suggested that I had mis-identified the Bentsen bird based on the outer primaries…they had not seen image XXX!!!
Additional information on primary shape can be found at: http://www.losbird.org/188_99nov_fig5.htm
Tail Length: Black-chinned Hummingbirds have a much shorter tail than Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. This is a relatively invariable characteristic. Bob Sargent (http://www.hummingbirdsplus.org/black.html) notes that "When Black-chinned is perched and the wings are folded, the tips of the folded wing will almost always extend beyond the tip of the tail. Occasionally they will appear to be the same length. Unless the tail feathers are just emerging and do not have their full length, the tail of Ruby-throated will always extend well beyond the folded wing. "
In the Lenoir Archilochus the tail is clearly short (figure XX) and the primaries clearly project well beyond the folded tail. (Figure XX) This is very suggestive of, if not diagnostic for, Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Bill Shape: Black-chinned Hummingbirds tend to have longer and more de curved bills than Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. This tendency is not invariable and there is much overlap. The curvature/shape of the bill is probably more important than length.
Though not overly long, the bill of the Lenoir Archilochus is very de curved and most consistent with Black-chinned. Careful attention to the many photographs of Ruby-throated and Black-chinned Hummingbirds in Howell illustrates this point. My images of a Black-chinned Hummingbird in Texas show a bill that is typical of this species (figure XX). Figure XX of a presumed Ruby-throated Hummingbird photographed in Central Park by Phil Jeffrey demonstrates a bill that is unusually de curved for this species.
Coloration: While both Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are described as having "emerald-green backs," Black-chinned Hummingbirds tend to be duller and flatter in overall back color. In addition, Black-chinned Hummingbirds tend to be dingier below than Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. This duller back coloration combined with a dingy belly makes the Black-chinned Hummingbird less contrasty than Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Howell, p. 125; see also the Sargent web site).
Characteristics of plumage coloration, however, are subject to great variation within a species.
Moreover, our perception of coloration is also strongly influenced by the viewing conditions. Again, a close inspection of the new Howell book will illustrate this point. Compare the images of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on pages 130-133 and the Black-chinned Hummingbird photos on pages 142-145 to get a sense of the variation within the species. Compare also image 16.11 of an immature female Ruby-throated Hummingbird with image 17.11 of a probable female immature Black-chinned Hummingbird; now review images XXXXX of the Lenoir Archilochus. The Lenoir Archilochus is very dull above and dingy , almost buffy, below. The overall plumage is most consistent with Black-chinned Hummingbird
Head color: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds tend to have a greener head, crown, and nape then Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Green on the forehead may be diagnostic of Ruby-throated Hummingbird. As with back color, however, this is a highly variable characteristic (review the same images suggested above in Howell). The Lenoir Archilochus clearly has a significant amount of gray on the forehead, crown, and nape. The pollen staining on the forehead is also quite obvious but there is no green there. The head color is not particularly helpful here but is very consistent with Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Head pattern: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds may tend to have a somewhat bolder facial pattern with more and darker blackish coloration below and behind the eye. Again, this is a markedly variable characteristic and is not diagnostic or particularly useful for either species. (Compare Howell 17.7, 17.8, and 17.9 with image 17.6 and 17.11). The Lenoir Archilochus clearly has some blackish coloration below and behind the eye but no more than the immature male Black-chinned Hummingbird illustrated in Howell (17.7) and considerably more than shown in several of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird photos (16.4, 16.5, and 16.6) The facial pattern is not particularly helpful but is very consistent with Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Tail Bobbing: Black-chinned Hummingbirds tend to bob their tail while feeding. This is a helpful characteristic when it is quite obvious. The lack of tail bobbing, however, does not rule-out Black-chinned Hummingbird. Howell (p. 136) notes that "male Black-chinned often wags its tail strongly, while Ruby-throated's tail is usually held more stiffly and quivered rather than wagged or pumped, but this is not diagnostic." Behavioral traits are subject to tremendous variability.
The Lenoir Archilochus definitely moved its tail while feeding (see the blurred tail in images XXXX). I am not sure if it was "pumping" the tail as aggressively as I have seen other hummingbirds do. It may be that the presence of a very aggressive, dominate, and territorial Rufous Hummingbird defending the only good flower patch in the vicinity, or other factors, blunted the tail pumping behavior. The lack of a pronounced form of this behavior certainly cannot be used as a strong argument against the Lenoir Archilochus being a Black-chinned Hummingbird…this would be like insisting that a Hermit Thrush is a Bicknell's because you watched it for an hour and never saw it bob it's tail.
In summary, the photographs taken on December 18, 2001 at the Lenoir Nature Preserve in Yonkers, New York strongly suggest that the Archilochus hummingbird present there is a Black-chinned Hummingbird. This conclusion is based on the diagnostic shape of the outer primaries and the diagnostic primary extension relative to the tail. Other supportive field marks noted such as the bill shape, bill length, back color, under part color, head color, nape color, facial pattern, and tail-bobbing behavior are entirely consistent with the diagnosis of Black-chinned Hummingbird.
If accepted by the New York State Avian Records Committee, this will be the first New York State Record for Black-chinned Hummingbird.