Wintering Hummingbirds Fairing Well Through Snow and Cold

Seeing a hummingbird drinking from a feeder with a layer of snow on the surface is not exactly what we've been accustomed to expecting in Tennessee, but we could be seeing this more frequently as more hummingbirds migrate to the east and remain in our state for a portion of the winter.       
Photo credit:  Wally Manspeaker

We generally think of hummingbirds as fragile to cold and as migrating to warmer climates in Mexico or Central America, where they can find nectar-producing flowers and insects.  In actuality, the migration patterns and the reason for these varied patterns are not clearly understood, except that they follow food sources.  Some species, such as the Allen's and Anna's on the west coast, show a northward movement in winter and not all members of the species follow the same migration routes.

Mark Armstrong, our hummingbird Master Bander in east Tennessee, reports that the Rufous hummingbirds that he captures and bands in Tennessee in the winter are healthy birds with a good supply of fat, many of them molting and replacing their molted feathers with healthy new ones.  Molting and feather replacement during the winter months is an indicator that the hummingbirds are getting the nutrients they need for healthy feather production.

Photo credit:  Wally Manspeaker

Wally Manspeaker lives in northeast Tennessee, in Russellville, an area of the state that is reporting many wintering hummingbirds. Tennessee's winter hummingbirds seem to be migrating through areas of higher elevation near mountain ridges and plateaus. The female Rufous Hummingbird, above, was banded by Armstrong on November 25th and has been in the area since early November.

Wally Manspeaker has been visited by wintering hummingbirds in the past.  In 2011, he had the fifth recorded Allen's Hummingbird  in Tennessee, and when the same male returned the next November as a mature bird, it became the second Allen's to return in successive years.   The article above appeared in the November 2013 issue of Birds and Blooms Extra magazine.  Wally is still hoping the male Allen's will return in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, he has a lovely female Rufous to observe.

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Though northeast Tennessee seems to be a popular location, hummers are showing up throughout the state. The pretty male Rufous above is spending his third winter in west Knoxville at the home of Billie Cantwell and Colin Leonard.  Billie is president of the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and the organizer of KTOS's annual Wonder of Hummingbirds Festival.

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Above and below, you see the same Rufous male as a juvenile who first arrived for the winter in December of 2011.

If you think people become attached to their summer hummingbirds, imagine being host to a wintering individual that returns each year, or if you are one of the lucky ones to have successive visitors, the excitement of wondering what wintering species will visit your home next!  Biologists believe that as generations of hummingbirds migrate in an easterly direction, the clumping of wintering birds will change, and wintering hummingbirds will spread out into broader territories.

Imagine being as comfortable seeing a hummingbird during winter months as we are seeing  a White-throated Sparrow or a Hermit Thrush.

Photo credit:  Kathy Sellars   A probable female Rufous in northwest Tennessee, in Dyersburg, that arrived around the first of November.

And here is a treat for you from my artist friend, Elva Paulson, in Oregon, who enjoys investigating and sketching nature. She clearly is also an excellent photographer!  Her curiousity led her to a willow grove where she settled into a spot to photograph and sketch the wildlife that visited sapsucker wells drilled in the willow bark.

Photo credit:  Dale and Elva Paulson    

She caught these beautiful images, above and below, of female Rufous hummingbirds visiting sapsucker wells drilled in the willows.  On this occasion, she encountered at least three hummingbirds visiting the sap wells, though they were intolerant of each other's presence, and chased each other.  Hummers are as aggressive about protecting sap sources as they are flower nectar.

Photo credit:  Dale and Elva Paulson

In the Birds of North America's Online account of the Rufous Hummingbird's feeding habits, the Rufous species is said to feed on sap and insects attracted to sap from wells excavated by Red-naped Sapsuckers. The Rufous species breeds in the northwestestern states up into Canada, including Oregon. In the spring, when arrival on breeding grounds precedes the blooming of flowers, the Rufous feeds on sap wells released from the bark of willows and alders.

Though observations of wintering hummingbirds foraging in the southeast are still rare, this feeding behavior also makes sense in Tennessee, as wintering Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers arrive, excavating sap wells that also provide a nectar source for wintering hummingbirds.

Visit Elva's Field Notes--Look Who Came to Dinner to read the story of her encounter with hummingbirds in the willows and see her beautiful field sketches.  She also describes another earlier encounter in Sweet and Sour Dinner:  More About Sapsuckers.

Links and Resources:

Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
Allen's Hummingbird in Tennessee
Rufous Hummer in Knoxville 
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  In east Tennessee, report sightings to Mark Armstrong at Woodthrush@bellsouth.net or 865-748-2224.  For a list of contact information for other eastern areas, visit winter reporting on the Hummingbird Study Group website or report sightings to Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888.
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
Visit Bob Sargent's information on wintering hummingbirds
Bob Sargent describes the Rufous Hummingbird as very cold-hardy.
Sargent on wintering Calliopes and the Allen's Hummingbird
Hummingbird banding
Hummingbirds in watercolor
Hummingbird art on Vickie's Sketchbook blog
Cornell's All About Birds:  Rufous Hummingbirds

Three Wintering Rufous Hummingbirds in East Tennessee

Sunday, December 15th, was a cold and windy day, creating considerable discomfort at times as I accompanied Jane and Mark Armstrong on their travels to band three wintering hummingbirds.  Without a doubt, the reward of seeing three of these hardy birds in one day far exceeded the discomforts of early hours and occasional numb fingers. 

Take a look at the image above and the two directly below it and you'll see how different each of these wintering Rufous Hummingbirds appeared.

In the top image you see a mature female Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) with a large number of gorget feathers on her throat and thick feathering on her brow. Directly above, appearing quite different, an immature female is pictured.  And below, an immature male Rufous Hummingbird in his first winter season after hatching.

Each of these wintering birds was located in a different county in Tennessee, and captured and examined by Mark Armstrong, east Tennesee's Master Bander of hummingbirds, and assisted by Jane, who helps with the set up and records the data Mark collects.

Once the trap is in place with the feeder inside it, Mark sits quietly, a distance away from the feeder, with a fishing reel in hand.  The line on the reel is attached to a wire door on the trap that slides up and down, and can be lifted with tension on the line, or lowered with the release of tension once the hummingbird is inside the trap. In the above image, Mark is removing the captured hummingbird from the trap.

The morning was overcast and 33 degrees F with 4 mph wind gusts, making sitting still outside for any length of time very cold.  After briefly rubbing his hands together to stimulate some warmth, Mark opened the bag to examine the hummingbird that had been visiting Janet and Bob Cushman's feeder in Roan County since approximately October 27th.  The couple noticed a difference in this bird that lingered behind after their Ruby-throated Hummingbirds had departed.      

To Mark's surprise and excitement, he found a band on this hummingbird's leg!  The band series indicated it was not one of Mark's bands, meaning the band had been placed on the bird in another geographic area. The recovery of a band is great news for a bander and is actually what banding is all about.  Once the banding data is retrieved, Mark will know more about this bird's age, where she has been before arriving in Tennessee, and if lucky, perhaps her breeding area.

Above, Mark is measuring the hummingbird's wing.  Wing measurements, as well as tail measurements, are important in distinguishing similar hummingbird species.  The Eastern migration of Rufous Hummingbirds has been studied for many years, with the first record of a wintering Rufous species in the eastern United States reported in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1909.

Above, Mark measures the beak length with a digital instrument.

During the fall of 1988, Bob and Martha Sargent began studying wintering hummingbirds in Alabama, Georgia, Forida, Mississippi, and Tennessee, compiling reports of these birds, and when possible, banding them.  Comparing records from past years, and their compilation of reports from the six winters from 1990 to 1996, in just this five state region, 1,643 Selasphorus hummingbirds were reported (Broad-tailed, Rufous and Allen's species) during winter months, showing a substantial increase in numbers.  95% of those recorded were Rufous Hummingbirds.

In the images above, Mark is using magnification to examine the beak for grooving.  Grooving indicates the bird is immature and still in its hatching year.  This female inidividual had no grooving in her beak which means she is a mature bird.  It is possible the banding data, once retrieved, may identify her age more specifically.

Above, Mark makes an approximate count of her gorget feathers, and Jane records the data below.

Rufous hummingbirds breed and spend their summer months in the western states.  Very little is presently known about where these wintering hummingbirds are breeding and what route they may be taking as they reach Tennessee.  Some may be passing through Tennessee en route to other areas.

Mark places the hummingbird in Janet's hand for release.  Janet recently reported that their female Rufous has been visiting the feeders in the two days since her capture, though she visits less frequently during warmer periods.

Next:  Our second stop, a juvenile female

Links and Resources:

Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
Allen's Hummingbird in Tennessee
Rufous Hummer in Knoxville 
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  In east Tennessee, report sightings to Mark Armstrong at Woodthrush@bellsouth.net or 865-748-2224.  For a list of contact information for other eastern areas, visit winter reporting on the Hummer Study Group website or report sightings to Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888.
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
Visit Bob Sargent's information on wintering hummingbirds
Bob Sargent describes the Rufous Hummingbird as very cold-hardy.
Sargent on wintering Calliopes and the Allen's Hummingbird
Hummingbird banding
Hummingbirds in watercolor
Hummingbird art on Vickie's Sketchbook blog
Cornell's All About Birds:  Rufous Hummingbirds

Johnson City Rufous Female Receives Band

Katherine Noblet of Johnson City, Tennessee, is one of those lucky individuals with repeated wintering hummingbird visitors.  This year, she has a Rufous female wintering in her yard and frequenting the two nectar feeders she makes available.  

Photo credit:  Katherine Noblet

Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds from Knoxville, Tennessee visited her home on November 26th to trap and band the hummingbird for a positive identification of the species and to record the birds health, age and other identifying characteristics.  

Above and below, you see Mark setting the trap on a portable table in the area where the feeder normally hangs.  The pink ribbon you see at the bottom left of the trap marks the bottom of the trap door that he raises and lowers with fishing wire.  He will next place the feeder inside the trap (shown below), raise the door by holding it up with the fishing wire, and position himself away from the feeder, releasing the door when the hummer goes inside to feed.

Photo credit:  Katherine Noblet

Once the hummingbird goes inside, the door is lowered, the hummer is removed and briefly placed in a mesh bag until Mark is in position to band it.  Below, Kathy Noblet takes a close look at the hummer she has been watching and photographing since November 11th.  Janie Kading, Mark's wife and recording assistant holds the hummer.

Mark is skillful and efficient with his work, placing the band on the hummingbird's leg, while Jane records the band number and the measurements obtained.   The examination process lasts about ten minutes.

Below, Mark takes a wing measurement.  Wing measurements can distinguish species, as well as, distinguish males from females.  The female Allen's species looks very similar to the female Rufous and the two are hard to distinguish in the field.  They both have green feathers on their backs and rufous in their tail feathers.  Wing measurements and width and shape of tail feathers are two distinguishing characteristics that separate the two species.

A tail measurement is taken below.  The Rufous species breeds in northwestern North America, in Idaho, Oregon and north to Alaska, and primarily winters in northern and central Mexico.

Wintering hummingbirds reported in the southeastern United States in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee have been documented since 1988 by Bob and Martha Sargent of the Hummer Study Group.  Their records show a rapid increase in the number of wintering hummingbirds, as well as, a "clumping" distribution in the southeastern states.

Above, Mark examines the beak to help determine the age of the bird.  Grooving in the beak indicates a juvenile bird, while no grooving indicates a mature bird.  Kathy's Rufous female is a mature bird.  Below, you see the Rufous coloration and shape of the tail feathers, helping to confirm that this individual is a Rufous female.  

Kathy's location in Johnson City, Tennessee, is one of the areas that is attracting wintering hummingbirds that migrate from western breeding areas.  In 2008 she had a male Rufous and the first Calliope recorded in the area.  Again in 2011, she had an immature male Rufous that frequented her feeders from October 21-December 13. This year she had a Rufous visit briefly November 1st, and the female pictured here, arrived November 11th and continues to visit her feeders.

Not all of the hummingbirds that are sighted in Tennessee will remain here.  Many Rufous Hummingbirds are also being reported in North Carolina.

Above, you can see the gorget feathers that appear on this female's throat.  Each individual female has its own arrangement and number of gorget feathers.

Above and below, Mark places the hummer in Kathy's hand for release.  True to the nature of many Rufous individuals, she remains still until she recognizes she is free.

Kathy's photo below shows the female perched in a nearby tree just after release.

Photo credit:  Katherine Noblet

The female visited a feeder soon after her banding session and the photo below shows her visiting the porch feeder later in the day.  Kathy has a creative blind that she has made from foam core board, the backing often used for framing art.  She cut the board to a size that slides into the frame of her storm door windows, and added an opening equipped with a curtain through which she can insert her camera lens.  This allows her to photograph the hummer from inside the house without disturbing it and without the obstruction of window panes.  Her blinds have allowed her to obtain beautiful images of the hummingbird as it visits her nectar feeders.

Photo credit:  Katherine Noblet

Links and Resources:

Previous reports on Katherine Noblet's wintering hummingbirds
Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  In east Tennessee, report sightings to Mark Armstrong at Woodthrush@bellsouth.net or 865-748-2224.  For a list of contact information for other eastern areas, visit winter reporting on the Hummingbird Study Group website or report sightings to Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888.
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
Visit Bob Sargent's information on wintering hummingbirds
Bob Sargent describes the Rufous Hummingbird as very cold-hardy.
Sargent on wintering Calliopes and the Allen's Hummingbird
Hummingbird banding
Hummingbirds in watercolor
Hummingbird art on Vickie's Sketchbook blog

Western Hummer Species Have Reached Tennessee

This beautiful male Allen's hummingbird is currently in east Tennessee!  

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell, Knoxville, TN

On November 19th of 2011, Mark Armstrong, Knoxville, TN master bander, banded an immature male Allen's hummingbird in east Tennessee, in Russellville.  That hummer has migrated back to the same area as the beautiful mature male you see in the images above and below.  Reported by his hosts, he was captured again and released on September 23rd, 2012, confirming that he is the same individual that was present last year and in good health.      

This information can only be confirmed through banding research.  As researcher and co-founder of the Hummingbird Study Group, Bob Sargent, states:  The only way to preserve all species of birds for future generations is to know what they require for survival.  The best way to accomplish this is to learn as much about them as possible. Banding is one of the tools in that effort."  

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell, Knoxville, TN.  Above you see the green head and back of the male Allen's hummingbird.  The bird is held by master bander, Mark Armstrong, of Knoxville, TN while being examined before release.

Allen's Hummingbirds breed in coastal California and their traditional wintering grounds are in northwestern Mexico.  Prior to 1991, an Allen's had never been documented in the five eastern states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee or Mississippi, according to Sargent, and the first documented case occurred in Alabama in 1991. The first recorded Allen's in TN was banded by Bob and Martha Sargent in the Chattanooga area in 1993.  Since that time, eastern residents have been encouraged to leave at least one feeder out after November 15th.  It is now known that these western migrants, the most common of which is the Rufous Hummingbird, can arrive as early as July and August, though they are more difficult to identify midst a steady influx of migrating ruby-throats. 

Photo credit:  Wally Manspeaker, Russellville, TN.  Above and below, the beautiful mature Allen's hummingbird currently visiting east Tennessee feeders at a home near Russellville, TN.

Wintering western hummingbirds do not rely on human-provided nectar sources, but find their own sources of nectar and protein in nature.  The primary reason people are encouraged to leave feeders out in the winter is so we can better document these birds and learn about their survival habits.

Photo credit:  Wally Manspeaker, Russellville, TN

The following report was provided to the Tennessee List-serve on November 19th, 2011 by Mark Armstrong:

"On November 19 I banded a young male Allen's hummingbird at a home near Russellville, Hamblen Co. [TN]....It has been a banner year for wintering hummingbirds this year.  In the eastern TN area I cover I have banded 5 Rufous hummingbirds, the Allen's, a late Ruby-throat and I had a return Rufous that I banded last year.  The Rufous that I've banded have been in Johnson City, south Knoxville, and 3 in Tellico Village, Loudon Co....I'm not the only one seeing a lot of hummingbirds.  Other banders [in] the eastern US are getting record numbers of Rufous as well as Calliope, Broad-tailed, Allen's and Anna's.  If anyone has thought about leaving a feeder out this would be the year to try it."

Clearly, 2012 promises to be a busy year also!

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell.  Above, Mark Armstrong, in Russellville, TN.  Beside him is the trap apparatus that is used to capture hummingbirds for banding.  The trap door is closed via a connected line after the hummer enters to feed.

Not only do we have this Allen's Hummingbird present in the eastern portion of our state, we also have Rufous Hummingbirds currently being reported in upper east Tennessee and in the Chattanooga area.  These birds are often first identified as immature birds, but as in the case of this Allen's, they frequently return to the same areas while migrating and to the same wintering grounds year after year.

With each season that western breeding hummingbirds are documented in the eastern United States, we learn more about the nature of the species and their migration patterns.  If you live in the east, keep at least one feeder out during fall and winter and check the reference link below for information about who to contact to report a wintering hummingbird in your state.

Links and Resources:

Previous blog posts on western hummingbirds in the east:  wintering hummingbirds
More on hummingbird banding:  hummingbird banding
Sketches of an incubating Allen's Hummingbird

Who to contact if you have a wintering hummingbird
Hummingbird Study Group
Allen's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Wintering hummingbirds in TN:  Second record of Allen's in TN, The Migrant 2001, The Migrant 1998:  five species of wintering hummingbirds

Next:  back to Alaska!

Pretty Rufous Hummingbird Female Banded in Erwin, Tennessee

Wintering Rufous hummingbirds are being reported throughout east and middle Tennessee, and have been arriving since August, keeping Mark Armstrong, the Master Hummingbird Bander in the eastern part of the state, very busy.  

I had the pleasure of accompanying Mark and his wife and assistant, Jane, as they traveled the two hours to northeast Tennessee on November 24th to band wintering hummingbirds.  Our first stop was Erwin, TN, to visit with Candy Casey (below) who is a new birder and was excited about her first opportunity to see a hummingbird upclose.  

In the image above, Mark is opening the mesh bag that holds the hummingbird briefly after its capture.

Mark first checks for a band on the bird's leg and if no band is present, he affixes a tiny numerically engraved band on the right leg.  The band number with information about the hummingbird is then reported to the Bird Banding Lab in Patuxent, Maryland, the central location for U.S.bird banding data.  These bands are invaluable to scientists who are studying the migration patterns, survivalship and health of bird populations.

The hummer is held in a stocking while it is banded to help keep it calm.  You can see how tiny the band is in the image above.

Female Rufous Hummingbirds often have a cluster of gorget feathers on their throat, unlike the Ruby-throat female which has a clear throat.  Each feather cluster is distinct and the number of orange-red feathers that appear vary considerably among individuals.  The light is striking the feathers in the image above just right to show the beautiful orange-red irridescence of the feathers.

Below, Mark is measuring the hummingbird's beak with a digital measuring instrument. Each of the measurements he takes helps to identify the sex, age and species of the bird.   

It was through telling a friend about the hummingbird that Candy learned about Bob Sargent's Hummer Study Group website and contacted Bob to report the hummingbird. Bob, in turn, encouraged her to contact Mark.  The Hummer Study Group has provided a central location for reporting the presence of western hummingbirds in the east, the most common of which, is the Rufous species.

Another view below of the throat gorget feathers.  The light striking the feather determines its color. Sometimes the feathers appear green or gray. `

Below, Mark is examining the beak with magnifying lens and a hand magnifying loop. He looks for grooving in the beak to determine the age of the bird.  Grooving indicates the beak is still maturing and the bird is in its first year after hatching.  A beak that has no grooving indicates that the bird is more mature.  This female is a mature bird with no grooving in her beak.

The gorget feathers are counted, below, and recorded, also, as a general characteristic of this individual.

Below, mark is blowing through a straw to part the feathers on the belly.  He is looking for indications of fat. Fat in the belly area indicates that the bird is feeding well, and is healthy.  He explains that most of the Rufous Hummingbirds he has banded in Tennessee have a healthy amount of body fat and are clearly finding the nutrition they need in Tennessee's winter habitat.

The recognition that a possible race of the Rufous Hummingbird species may be genetically programed to migrate to the southeastern United States is beginning to change our notion of hummingbirds and their winter hardiness.  Sargent believes, and his studies indicate, that successive generations of these Rufous hummingbirds are migrating and wintering in the eastern U.S. and that reports of their presence will increase with each season.

Presently, wintering areas seem to be in clusters of favored habitat and birders who report these wintering hummers seem to have successive winter arrivals of birds, both immature and adult. It is not certain what habitat qualities are attracting and sustaining them through the winter in Tennessee, but it is certain habitat selection is closely related to food sources.  Sap wells and insects attracted to sap wells are one known source of nutrients during cold months.  Additionally, as more and more birds are located and banded, we will begin to have a better understanding of the wintering habits of this species.

Female Rufous Hummingbirds are difficult to distinguish from the Allen's species that also have green backs and rufous in their tail feathers. Banders examine the tail feathers for the distinguishing shape and width of the feathers to confirm the identification.

Mark gives the hummer access to nectar before releasing it and she eagerly laps.  

Candy holds the bird for release.  Above and below, the hummer rests in Candy's hand until it recognizes that it is free to fly.  When it does fly, a few seconds later, it leaves with a loud chirp and wing buzzing.

We stayed to witness the hummer returning to the deck feeder for another drink. Candy has a clear view of the nectar feeder from her windows and will enjoy seeing this hummer visit her feeder as long as it remains in Tennessee.  By recording the date of the bird's arrival and the last time she sees it this winter, she will have an idea of when to begin watching for this Rufous female's return next fall.  Rufous Hummingbirds tend to return to the same wintering area year after year, as long as the habitat offers good food sources.

Next:  Another female Rufous in Johnson City, TN

Links and Resources:

Nov 11, 2013 report on Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  In east Tennessee, report sightings to Mark Armstrong at Woodthrush@bellsouth.net or 865-748-2224.  For a list of contact information for other eastern areas, visit winter reporting on the Hummingbird Study Group website or report sightings to Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888.
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
Visit Bob Sargent's information on wintering hummingbirds
Bob Sargent describes the Rufous Hummingbird as very cold-hardy.
Sargent on wintering Calliopes and the Allen's Hummingbird
Hummingbird banding
Hummingbirds in watercolor
Hummingbird art on Vickie's Sketchbook blog