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The Texas Hummer Newsletter

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The Texas Hummer Newsletter texas parks and wildlife the texas HRHHRUUMMMMMMEER spring 2001 a newsletter for texas hummingbird roundup participants 2000 hummingbird roundup summary he 2000 season is now reporting that they kept a gram at the end introduces more than 25%. Additional Tbehind us and, while I am still feeder active all year. Of the Roundup, the questions reminders sent after the receiving the occasional these 68 observers, 38 (or we are asking and what we Christmas season increased report, the bulk of what we 56%) had at least one hum- hope to learn from them. the percent return over that are going to get for this year mingbird during the winter. While details are being worked of 1999, and so will probably is now in. The program grew Six species were observed out on some of the workshops be continued. You can help considerably this year, with during January, February or for this year, Trans-Pecos work- by reminding friends who are 1,145 people enrolled in the December. The most shops are finalized and also participants to get their Texas Hummingbird Roundup northerly report of winter referred to later in this report. reports in at year’s end. by year-end. To date, 265 hummingbirds in the state annual questionnaires have was from Lubbock County. The 2001 survey is off to a What can we expect this been received for a 23% par- good start with 520 partici- year? The wet winter and ticipation in the report. This In the Trans-Pecos, Brewster pants already enrolled for the spring many of us are enjoy- represents 101 counties or and Presidio counties year. These are spread ing will probably bring an 40% of the counties in the reported the greatest species throughout the state with no abundance of wildflowers, state, including five of the diversity with eight species real recruiting effort yet meaning that the birds will eight Trans-Pecos counties or each followed closely by Jeff undertaken for this year. We have more natural foods avail- 62.5%. While this participa- Davis County with seven have set a goal of more than able. Hummingbirds may be tion level is quite good, there species. These mountainous 1,500 participants involved by scarcer around the feeders this is still room for improvement, regions are obviously rich in year’s end. year, and those seeing rare especially in the Trans-Pecos flying jewels. In the rest of birds may have to look harder and Panhandle regions where the state, Travis and Lubbock Our second goal is to to find them. Good luck and there are large stretches of counties reported six species increase survey returns to enjoy our flying jewels. land unrepresented in this each while a number of coun- year’s survey. ties reported five species. It is good to see the Panhandle Seventeen of our eighteen reporting some diversity. mission statement species of hummingbirds were reported this year, with Some major developments in only the Green-breasted the program this year include Mango not appearing in the the introduction of a work- The mission of the Hummingbird Roundup is to improve the conserva- 2000 species list. A note shop on hummingbirds includ- tion of hummingbirds by gathering information about their distribu- inside this newsletter reports ing a brief introduction to the tion and providing information to the public. The survey encourages an early 2001 occurrence of species, a program on garden- Texans to maintain natural habitat for the birds, properly care for this rare bird. ing for hummingbirds, an iden- hummingbird feeders and record sightings. Your observations further tification session and closing our knowledge of the hummingbirds of Texas, guide new research Winter hummingbirds were with a pest and predator man- efforts, and help the Wildlife Diversity Program in its mission to keep not lacking this year, with agement program. For those these tiny visitors returning each year. 68 observers in 44 counties interested, an additional pro- the question of allen’s hummingbird The suggestion in last had 40 records for Allen’s note, mature males with a year’s Hummer that we use Hummingbird. Subsequent fully mature tale and full gor- the Rufous/Allen’s (R/A) years have continued to see get, can reliably be called an abbreviation for green-backed large numbers of reports and Allen’s. Since this is an Selasphorus seen in surveys multiple bird occurrences on extremely rare bird in Texas, has received a mixed review. the record. Either we are see- we would still require a The change to R/A, in keep- ing a lot of birds no one else detailed description and a ing with changes being made is seeing, or there is a situa- photograph. For juveniles and by other groups, was made to tion of misidentification. females, if you think they maintain the integrity of the might be Allen’s it is better to data and even improve on One of the arguments we say Selasphorus – and isn’t some questionable responses have heard against changing R/A easier to write anyway? we are currently receiving. the coding has focussed on I hope to address some of the “coppery” color that peo- these concerns below. ple report in the gorget of presumed Allen’s Humming- While many of the early field birds. Field work has shown guides and books written repeatedly that this is not a about hummingbirds have unique character when trying indicated that there are dis- to distinguish between the It’s festival time! tinct differences between the two species. two birds, researchers in the field are finding that it is Another unreliable character- impossible to reliably tell the istic for distinguishing the two difference between immature birds is the vocalization. Last year’s newsletter included an article about nature Rufous and Allen’s humming- National Geographic Field tourism and the two communities in our state that have birds. Since most of the Guide to the Birds of North festivals focussed on hummingbirds. Both Rockport– Allen’s we have seen and con- America has consistently indi- Fulton and Fort Davis continue to sponsor these festi- firmed in Texas have been cated that the song and call vals, and people attending them have a great opportu- immature, this makes it very of the Rufous Hummingbird nity to see hummingbirds. difficult to justify accepting are identical to those of the reports of Allen’s Humming- Allen’s Hummingbird. Wing Fort Davis will celebrate their hummingbird festival this bird without measurements trills are equally nondiagnostic. year on August 17–19. Centered on the Prude Ranch and photos to support and Davis Mountains State Park, this festival will feature the identification. People have tried to use field trips in which as many as nine species of hum- “characteristic” flight to distin- mingbird are possible. Speakers will talk about hum- Equally confusing is the situa- guish between the two mingbirds, hummingbird research, wildlife habitats and tion we are running into. species. While this works general nature themes. For information on this year’s Although birders accept the when you have a distinct, and festival, contact the Prude Ranch at 915-426-3202. Allen’s Hummingbird as an consistent behavior in the ani- extremely rare bird, we con- mal – like the Sprague’s Pipit The Rockport–Fulton Annual Hummer/Bird Celebration tinue to get a staggering with its stair-step flight and will run September 15–17 on the central coast. This fes- number of unsupported sudden drop pattern when tival, always a big and exciting event, offers the oppor- reports each year. The Texas flushed, no such patterns – tunity to see hundreds of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Bird Records Committee, both distinct AND consistent – with the occasional Buff-bellied Hummingbird or Rufous (website members.tripod. have been found in Rufous or Hummingbird, as well as speakers, a bird banding sta- com/~tbrc/about.htm) which Allen’s Hummingbirds. tion and much more. More information on this festival is charged with reviewing and is available through the Rockport–Fulton Chamber of maintaining our official list of Does this mean we should Commerce at 800-826-6441. Texas birds, record only eight never report Allen’s Hum- confirmed records ever, yet mingbird on our form? Not at Why not get out and enjoy some of Texas’ nature and the first year of the survey all. As the field guides clearly birding festivals this year? 2 Male Black-chinned Illustrations by Clemente Guzman III Male Ruby-throated identification tips A newsletter should be and tail feather patterns. In both educational and infor- his recent book National mative. The last two have Audubon Society Sibley Guide included a short article about to Birds, David Sibley points identification issues, and this out another, rather simple one will be no exception. way to tell the two apart. Examining the wing tips of Most of our identification the two birds at rest shows issues center on the two that BCHU has a clubbed Archilochus species common appearance while RTHU has a The First U.S. Record of an Adult to Texas – the Ruby-throated tapered appearance. As with Green-breasted Mango Found in Texas Hummingbird (RTHU) and the almost all identification tips Black-chinned Hummingbird for the female Archilochus, While not part of the 2000 Texas Hummingbird Roundup record, (BCHU). This is because these this is still a relative descrip- February of 2001 brought another first for Texas. While we had pre- birds are the most common tion, but it should be easier viously enjoyed the presence of the Green-breasted Mango in our and widespread species in the than examining tail feather state, all seven previous records had been birds that had appeared state.
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