A Pretty Rufous Hummingbird in Solway Tennessee

In the midst of this balmy December weather we've been having (in the 70's F) east Tennesseans have identified another Rufous Hummingbird, this one in Solway, Tennessee.   
Mark Armstrong of East Tennessee Avian Research, Inc. and Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds, was contacted by the home owners to identify and band the hummingbird.  On December 12th, Mark set up a trap and was able to capture the hummer minutes later.  Above, Mark reaches through the trap door to capture the hummer.

Above, the hosts of this hummingbird watch with interest as Mark removes the hummer from the net bag prior to examination.  The bag helps keep the hummer calm after capture.

Above, Mark takes wing measurements to help determine whether this Rufous is a male or female. Females have a longer wing measurement.  This bird was a mature female.

Using a blunt darning needle, Mark counts the number of gorget feathers visible on the female's throat.  Unlike female Ruby-throated hummers which have white throats, the females of the Rufous species often have a cluster of gorget feathers on their throat.

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

Mark shows hosts and friends some of the characteristics that help to identify this bird as a Rufous female.  

The female rests quietly for a moment before buzzing off to continue her foraging.

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

Even though Rufous hummingbirds have been found in the eastern United States for many years, biologists still know very little about why they migrate to the east.  It is also a mystery just what geographic characteristics determine their migration routes and choice of wintering grounds.  What we do know, is they have good memories and often return to the same yard the next winter.

Keep at least one feeder out this winter and you may be lucky enough to spot a wintering hummingbird!  In east Tennessee, report winter hummingbird sightings to Mark Armstrong at Woodthrush@bellsouth.net or 865-748-2224. 

Thank you to Billie Cantwell for sharing her great images in this blog post!  All of the images in this post that are not otherwise credited were taken by Billie.

Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
Rufous Hummer in Knoxville 
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.
Hummingbird banding
Hummingbirds in watercolor
Hummingbird art on Vickie's Sketchbook blog
Cornell's All About Birds:  Rufous Hummingbirds

Another Western Hummer in East Tennessee

...a mature female Rufous at Musick's Campground in upper East Tennessee.

In the above image, the captured hummingbird is photographed to capture the details of her feather color patterns.  When turned to the side, this female's orange-red cluster of gorget feathers appears charcoal or black.  Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong.

When facing the light in a different direction, the feathers shine a brilliant orange red.  Photo credit Mark Armstrong

This change occurs because the color is not due to feather pigment but is created by the reflection of light on feather structures.  A more detailed description can be found at Sibley's Guides.

Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds, commented about this hummingbird's condition:  " Something striking to me but difficult to explain is that she was just a really pretty bird.  I’ve banded some young birds as well as adults that were in molt but this bird finished [her molt] and was in really perfect plumage and just looked good.  The only thing left for her to finish was her primary molt.  The last two primaries at the end of the wing were old everything else was fresh.  She had a good fat load also.  She weighed 4.3 grams and most of the female rufous that I band are in the 3.5 gram range.  I’m hoping that the bird will stay a while but they don’t carry a fat load for fun and this usually means they are preparing for a move."

Above Mark Armstrong examines the hummer.  Photo credit:  Wallace Coffey

Wallace Coffey, of the Bristol Bird Club, was on hand to witness the hummingbird capture and examination in Sullivan County and posted the following on the Bristol Bird Club listserve:

Expert Confirms Musick’s Campground Hummer a “Rufous !” 

If you needed to know the positive ID for the hummingbird visiting Musick’s Campground since the middle of November, then tic that one down for your life list or annual list as a Rufous Hummingbird. They occasionally frequent a lingering feeder, in appropriate habitat, during late fall or winter in our area.

Mark Armstrong, and his wife Jane, of the East Tennessee Avian Research,Inc. group out of Seymour, TN, headed up before daylight to capture and band the tiny creature which is en route from its breeding area along the Pacific coast in the northwest of the US and Canada, migrating to the gulf states for the winter and some to South America.  Mark caught it in less than 10 minutes, just before 9 a.m.  A careful study of the feathers, measurements and weight determine it was an adult
female.  He is an authority because Mark and Jane have caught and banded more than 100 Rufous hummers and more than 3,000 Ruby-throateds.  Mark is [the retired] curator of birds at the Knoxville Zoo.

This winter has been slim pickings so far.  He has encountered only about three birds, mainly in the Knoxville area.  That is very low for him.  He does not always scrape the bottom of the barrel.  In June of this year,  he trapped a Ruby-throated in his backyard at Seymour which had been banded in September 2014 at Lake Jackson, Texas.  Well, for that matter, he caught a Rufous at the feeders on Mae Musick’s porch at South Holston Lake in eastern Sullivan Co., 1 Dec 2009, which had been banded 10 Jan 2009 in Pass Christian, Mississippi, a bit west of Biloxi and Gulfport.

To capture the hummer, he took the South Holston bird’s feeders down and away from the heat lamps which prevent freezing.  Then he hung a cage not too different than a typical bird cage but much larger. One of the feeders was placed in the cage and the door held open with a release “string.” The hummer soon came to the cage and went right into the feeder.  Mark closed the door and safely placed a tiny band on its leg.  

In the photo above,  Nancy McPeak of the Bristol Bird Club, is holding the hummer in her hand where it left quickly at its own determination and effort.  Photo credit: Wallace Coffey

 Photo credit:  Wallace Coffey

Mark and Jane are shown here as they prepared to leave the hummer/banding site. They carry lots of equipment to get their job done accurately.  Jane is carrying the cage trap. They also documented the ID and details with many close-up photos of the bird. For the most part, only the capture and study of details,including specific feather study, is reliable for species determination.  Most of us can fairly well judge some birds but only handheld counts. 

Present for this morning’s capture and study were Mae Musick, Carol Musick, Nancy McPeak, Mark and Jane along with Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN.

Photo credit:  Katherine Noblet

Keep at least one winter feeder out and you may find yourself hosting one of these rare winter visitors!

Hummers in Snow and Cold
Learn more about Wintering Hummingbirds
More on Rufous Hummingbirds

Western Hummingbirds Have Arrived!

Western Hummingbirds are migrating through Tennessee and some are arriving to stay the winter! 

Above, a Rufous Hummingbird juvenile feeds on Pineapple Sage in Billie Cantwell's yard in west Knoxville before being captured for banding.  Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

A hummingbird trap is shown above, set up by Mark Armstrong near the Pineapple Sage.  The feeder is surrounded by the cage and a door is raised and lowered with fishing line to trap the hummingbird after he goes inside.  Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Friends Billie Cantwell and Colin Leonard have their third Rufous hummingbird visiting their yard, making this their fifth consecutive fall/winter season of hosting a wintering hummingbird. One male Rufous wintered in their yard for three seasons.  

This year's hummer is a juvenile male rufous who was initially discovered visiting the red blossoms of Pineapple Sage while ignoring feeders. 

Billie described him as "one smart cookie" as he foiled Mark Armstrong's first attempt to capture and band him on October 29th.  Rather than feeding from a nectar feeders at their home, this juvenile preferred the natural nectar of the pineapple sage.  Mark erected a mist net to capture him.  The hummer flew up to the net, examined it, and then flew up over and around the net avoiding capture.   

As time passed, the hummer became aquainted with the nectar feeders and began to use them. On November 10th, Mark, Master Bander of hummingbirds and songbirds, set a trap over a feeder near the pineapple sage and captured the juvenile. Above, Mark gets his banding equipment ready with Janie Kading's assistance.  

Mark first examines the hummers legs to see if it is banded. This juvenile was not banded and received band K23381, shown below.  Bands are issued by the Bird Banding Laboratory at Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge and all banded birds are reported to the lab.

Once the band is in place, Mark takes measurements.  The birds wing and tail are measured for general identification.  These measurements also help with hummingbird species identification in some cases, and can distinguish males from females.  The belly is examined for fat deposits which give the bander information about the general health of the bird.  

Below, Mark measures the hummingbird's bill with a digital measuring device. 

Through a loop and magnifying glasses, Mark checks the beak for grooving.  Grooving or growth bands were found, confirming that this hummer is a juvenile.  These grooves close as the hummingbird matures into an adult.

Banders must also distinguish the hummingbird species from other similar species. Rufous and Allen's hummingbird juveniles look very similiar and both have rufous in their tail feathers. Both have been found to winter in Tennessee.  Examination of the shape and size of the tail feathers confirms that this bird is a young Rufous.

Above and below, the Rufous juvenile is shown just before release.  He currently has three gorget feathers on his throat.

Janie holds the hummer for release.  A few minutes after he flew, the hummer was observed feeding from the nectar feeder at the kitchen window.

Do you have your winter nectar feeder out?

All images in this blog post are credited to Billie Cantwell.  Thank you, Billie!

First juvenile Rufous visiting Cantwell residence . The same hummingbird is shown as an adult in Hummers in Snow and Cold
Learn more about Wintering Hummingbirds
More on Rufous Hummingbirds

Hardy Hummingbirds Survive the Polar Vortex Plunge

On January 13, I accompanied Mark Armstrong to another hummingbird banding in Knoxville, Tennessee, just six days after local temperatures plunged to a record low of 2° F during the Polar Vortex.

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

A wintering hummingbird was discovered at the home of Christal Pettit early in October.  Soon after she had taken her feeders down thinking all the migrating Ruby-throats had left, her husband noticed a hummingbird hovering in an area where a feeder once hung.  Krystal quickly made nectar and hung a feeder out and her wintering hummingbird has been steadily present since.

Christal (left) and her daughter, Evan, watch as Mark Armstrong, Master Bander of hummingbirds bands the hummingbird and measures its wing, tail, and beak.  Each of these measurements give the bander information about the gender and species of the hummingbird, in this case, a mature female Rufous.

Mature females look alike in the three Selasphorus species which include the Broad-tailed, Rufous and Allen's hummingbirds. They each have green feathered backs and, usually, a cluster of reddish-orange gorget feathers on their throats.  The Rufous species is by far the most commonly found wintering hummingbird in Tennessee and in the eastern United States.

Mark uses a straw and blows the feathers away from the belly to assess the amount of fat the hummingbird has stored.  This hummingbird's fat was rated a "one" with zero indicating no fat deposits, and she weighed 3.9 grams, a healthy weight for this species.  This means she is receiving enough nutrition to not only nourish herself, but to store fat reserves for later use.  

Additionally, this mature female was molting feathers--losing worn feathers and growing new ones to replace them.  In the image above, you can see the three brownish old feathers with frayed ends on the left compared to her new grayish feathers with smooth edges.  She was also showing new feather growth on her body and head. Molting, in general, is a sign of good health and nutrition and Mark commented that this bird was molting more heavily than he had seen in other hummers he's captured this season.

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

Above you can see the Rufous female tail feathers compared to the male's tail feathers shown in my previous post.  Females have white tips on their three outer tail feathers on each side.  The white tips lack pigment, which adds strength to feathers, and are worn more easily during the process of nest building and feeding young during the breeding season.

Above, Mark and Christal give the hummingbird a drink before she is released.

It is a joy to meet the people who host these wintering hummers and to share in their excitement about their visitors.  To date, Mark has banded nine Rufous hummingbirds in east Tennessee and recaptured four--three that he previously banded, and one bird that was banded in Tallahassee, FL last year as a juvenile. Recapturing a bird after it is banded enables researchers to learn more about the age, health and migration patterns of the hummingbirds that are migrating east for the winter.

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Other reports on area hummingbirds varied after the severe weather front moved through. Billie Cantwell and Colin Leonard's male hummingbird, that first began wintering at their home in 2011, continues to frequent their feeder.  The above image, taken several days after the severe weather, shows the light arrangement that Billie and Colin hung over the feeder to keep the nectar from freezing.  The light is a 150 watt flood light or spot light that is non-LED and gives off heat.  When temperatures were in the single digit range, Billie moved the feeder closer to the lamp; when the temperature moves up to 17 F or higher, the feeder is hung farther away.

Photo credit:  Jon Dempersmier

Above, another female hummingbird continues to winter in Seymour, Tennessee, and was photographed at the feeder by Jon Dempersmier January 8th, the day after the record cold.  Though Mark has not recaptured this bird, yet, she wears a band and is likely the Rufous female that he banded at Jon's home last season.

Photo credit:  Katheryn Noblet

The adult female Rufous, above, that made a fall migration stop-over at Katherine Noblet's home in Johnson City, departed prior to the severe weather and was last seen on December 4th.

Photo credit:  Marnie Mitchell

The mature male Rufous pictured above has been wintering in Smithville, TN, at the home of Tommy and Virginia Curtis, and was seen frequenting the feeders following the severe front.  He departed on January 9th, likely, to resume migration.

Photo credit:  Wally Manspeaker

The image above was taken on January 6th, in Russellville, TN, as the artic air was approaching with high winds that rocked the feeder and brought windchills of -14 degrees F in east Tennessee.  Wally's female Rufous was among the several that were not seen on January 7th, the morning of the lowest temperature drop.  Included in this group were Sherry Ladd's mature male Rufous, Candy Casey's adult female Rufous, and Jim Turnblazer's juvenile female Rufous.  

Candy Casey wrote a letter to Bob Sargent on January 7, asking about the disappearance of her bird, fearing that the female Rufous had perished in the cold as the front moved in.  His response was interesting and reassuring.

"Twenty-five years of banding records tell me that most ADULT Rufous, male or female, tend to leave their primary winter site(s)...between December 15 and January 15.  If they leave earlier than that, it is...in my opinion, because their easy supply of tiny bugs and spiders has been diminished.  This occurs often when winter deepens.... I would bet the farm that your little cold-hardy female Rufous has gone south and then will turn westward toward her nesting grounds in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia or maybe even SE Alaska.  Don't take your feeder down just in case she's hanging out somewhere close,  In my opinion she is not likely to be dead but merely moved on to the south or southwest."

Many of us will be watching for the return of these birds next fall and looking forward to re-capture reports that will affirm their survival and successful migration.  It is clear that this hardy strain of eastern-migrating Rufous hummingbirds is challenging our notion of hummingbird frailty and raising many questions about their winter survival strategies.

In east Tennessee, report winter hummingbird 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.

Links and Resources:

What is a Polar Vortex?
Climate Change and the Polar Vortex

Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
Allen's Hummingbird in Tennessee
Rufous Hummer in Knoxville 
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  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
Bird Banding Laboratory
Birds of North America--I highly recommend subscribing to the online version for detailed descriptions of all North American bird species.

Male Rufous Hummingbird in Knoxville, Tennessee

It is nothing short of amazing to consider Rufous Hummingbirds wintering in Tennessee right now with a frigid artic front pushing our temperatures down to 0° degrees F and creating wind chills approaching 10 below zero.   

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

This beautiful Rufous male shown above was captured and banded in Knoxville, Tennessee, by Mark Armstrong on Sunday, January 5th, at the home of Sherry Ladd. Mark was assisted by myself and Billie Cantwell (below), president of the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society.  Billie also has a mature male Rufous wintering at her home in Knoxville for the third winter.

Mark reported that this mature male was only the third he had seen this season, though he has banded a number of Rufous hummingbirds in the past several months.  The other birds have been mature or juvenile females or juvenile males. In the image above, Billie explains how Mark captures the hummingbird as he sets up the trap and secures the feeder inside it.

The hummer was captured quickly and carefully removed from the trap and placed in a soft net bag.  Below, Mark organizes his equipment while Sherry holds the hummingbird briefly and I record the date and time on the data sheet.  The temperature was in the low-thirties during this banding visit, which fortunately took place before the record breaking artic air moved into our area.  

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

Below, Mark measures the length of the wing with a digital instrument. He also measures the length of the tail and examines the beak for grooving. 

Photo credit:  Billie Cantwell

These details and measurements give specific information about the individual bird, help confirm the species and gender, and give clues to the bird's health.  Both this mature male and the mature male wintering at Billie's home were found to be of the same weight, a normal weight for a male rufous.  Mature males have the characteristic rufous tail, shown below, lacking the white tips of a juvenile.  

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

Bob Sargent, who has studied the eastern migration of Rufous hummingbirds since the late 90's has the following to say about the Rufous species:  "Rufous hummingbirds are very cold hardy. They are hatched in a cold climate, they spend nights on nesting grounds where the temperatures are near freezing. They migrate down mountain corridors where the temperatures are cold. Finally, these U.S. Rufous are continually being refined by the genes of cold hardy ancestors that have endured severe winters. We regularly have Rufous in the Southeast that seem little effected by nighttime temperatures of 0 to 20 degrees F. The presence of Rufous going about their daily routine in times of severe cold requires rethinking our impression of hummingbirds in general."

Above, Mark offers the bird a drink from the feeder before he is released.  Once he was released into Sherry's hand, he buzzed away immediately.

Photo credit:  Mark Armstrong

In east Tennessee, report winter hummingbird 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.

Next:  Winter birds and an update on Tennessee's hummingbirds during the extreme cold.

Links and Resources:

Western Hummingbirds Wintering in Tennessee
Allen's Hummingbird in Tennessee
Rufous Hummer in Knoxville 
Other blog posts on Wintering hummingbirds in Tennessee
In recent years, fourteen species of hummingbirds have been documented in the east during fall and winter months.  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
Bird Banding Laboratory
Birds of North America--I highly recommend subscribing to the online version for detailed descriptions of all North American bird species.