Copyrighted Material 57 HUMMINGBIRDS 1 PLAIN-CAPPED STARTHROAT Heliomaster constantii 11.5–12.5cm field notes: Often makes low sallies to capture flying insects. voice: A loud peek; song transcribed as chip chip chip chip pi-chip chip chip..., or chi chi chi chi whit-it chi.... habitat: Shrubby, arid woodland, woodland edge and thickets. distribution: Rare vagrant from Mexico. 2 BAHAMA WOODSTAR Calliphlox evelynae 8–9.5cm field notes: Female has buff tips on outermost tail feathers. Feeds on nectar and by hawked insects. voice: A dry prititidee prititidee prititidee; also a sharp tit titit tit titit, which often speeds into a rattle. habitat: Mixed pine forests, forest edge, clearings, scrub and large gardens. distribution: Very rare vagrant from the Bahamas. 3 LUCIFER HUMMINGBIRD Calothorax lucifer 9–10cm field notes: Male has 3 a forked tail. Feeds on nectar and insects which are obtained by brief fly-catching sallies. voice: Twittering chips. habitat: Desert areas with agave, mountain slopes and canyons. distribution: Summers in SW Texas and S Arizona. 4 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD Archilochus colubris 8–9.5cm field notes: Feeds on nectar; insects are taken during fly-catching sallies. voice: 4 A squeaking cric-cric. habitat: Woodland edge, copse and gardens. distribution: Summers in E USA and S Canada, from Alberta eastwards. 5 BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD Archilochus alexandri 10cm field notes: Female very similar to Ruby-throated Hummingbird. voice: A husky tiup, tiv or tipip. 5 Song is a weak warble. habitat: Dry scrub. distribution: Summers in W and SW USA. 6 ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD Calypte anna 10–11cm field notes: Feeds on nectar and insects, which are gleaned or hawked. voice: Song is jumble of squeaks and raspy notes. Call is a sharp chick. habitat: Chaparral, canyons, woodlands and coastal scrub. distribution: Extreme W North America, from British Columbia southwards. 6 7 COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD Calypte costae 7.5–8.5cm field notes: As well as nectar, takes insects by hawking or hovering. voice: A high, light, sharp tik or tip, often repeated to form a twitter. Song, a thin high, rising and falling buzz. habitat: Dry areas with sages, ocotillo and yuccas. distribution: Summers in extreme SW USA. Winters in S California and SW Arizona. 7 8 CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD Stellula calliope 8cm field notes: Tends to feed on lower blossoms when taking nectar from plants. voice: A soft tsip. Song is a thin tseeeee-ew. habitat: Mountain glades and canyons. distribution: Summers in W mountain area from SW Canada south to California and S Colorado. 8 9 BUMBLEBEE HUMMINGBIRD Atthis heloisa 7.5cm field notes: Bumblebee- like flight. Feeds mainly on nectar. voice: High chips. Song is a high, thin sssssssssssiu or seeuuuuu, fading at the end. habitat: Forest edge and clearings. distribution: Very rare vagrant from Mexico. 10 BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD Selasphorus platycercus 10cm 10 field notes: Feeds on nectar and insects, which are gleaned or hawked. Male wings produce a loud trilling whistle. voice: A sharp chip. habitat: Pine and juniper forests, riparian and dry pine-oak forest. distribution: Summers in USA in the S and W Rockies and the Great Basin mountains. 11 11 RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD Selasphorus rufus 10cm field notes: A small number of males have a green upper back, making them virtually identical to Allen’s Hummingbird. voice: A hard tyuk, an excited zee-chupity-chup and various chipping and buzzing notes. habitat: Coniferous forests, forest edge, clearings and mountain meadows. distribution: Summers in the far west, from S Alaska south to N California. 12 12 ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD Selasphorus sasin 10cm field notes: Feeds on nectar and insects, which are hawked or gleaned. Female virtually identical to Rufous Hummingbird. voice: Similar to Rufous Hummingbird. habitat: Canyons, coastal chaparral, scrub and bushy slopes. distribution: Summers on Pacific coast from S Oregon to California. Copyrighted Material ! 1 2 ! ? 3 ? 4 ! 5 ! ! ? ? ? 6 ! 7 8 ! ? ? ! ? 9 ! ! ! ? 12 ? 11 10 ? .