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Post by Steve Backes on Jan 8, 2010 10:48:09 GMT -5
Fred Bassett arrived around 7:15 this morning to trap and band the hummingbirds in my yard. Within a little over an hour, we had banded 12 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 2 females, 3 adult males, and 7 young males (second year males).
The correct terminology for aging birds is based on calendar year and not 12 years of life. So, the young males with their incomplete gorget are considered first year birds until the new year. As of January 1st, they are considered second year birds.
A videographer was here today and got footage to air on the FOX 13 6 O'clock News next Wednesday on a segment called What's Right With Tampa Bay. It should be available online after it airs.
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Post by Steve Backes on Jan 10, 2010 16:17:22 GMT -5
I received the data cards and photos for Friday's banding and realized that I lost count somewhere. We actually banded four each female, adult male, and young male.
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Post by Steve Backes on Jan 11, 2010 20:12:07 GMT -5
Fox aired the report earlier than I expected. It ended the 6 O'clock news today. I assume it should eventually be online on the What's Right With Tampa Bay page.
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Post by hummagine on Jan 13, 2010 9:00:50 GMT -5
Steve,
If they do put the video on their website could you please post a link on the forum? Would love to see it but as I'm over on the east coast, I don't know what Fox channel you have over there.
Thanks!
Karen
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Post by Steve Backes on Jan 13, 2010 13:32:49 GMT -5
The report can be found at: www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/whats_right/111-whats-right-bird-sanctuaryI am disappointed that they didn't mention this site or the misinformation regarding hummingbirds that I'm trying to correct. I would have also liked if they would have emphasized the number of birds currently in the yard. We had banded over ten birds at that point. I guess 60 seconds isn't a lot of time for the amount of information I'd like to share. It may have been better for him to have come before the freeze when he could have gotten colorful video of flowers. But, then I'm guessing he wouldn't have gotten any close ups of the hummingbirds. |
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Post by Steve Backes on Feb 4, 2010 16:49:51 GMT -5
Doreen Cubie, a licensed bander from South Carolina, visited my yard today. She banded 6 more Ruby-throateds in less than an hour. All were males with three of them being young birds and three being adults. That makes 18 hummingbirds banded in my yard in the past month. At least two others that have yet to be banded were spotted as well indicating that there are at least 20 hummingbirds in my neighborhood this winter.
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Post by novakdjokovic on May 20, 2011 4:03:38 GMT -5
Its good to hear that you catch 12 in no time.
Please guide us how to guess the age of the hummingbird and also add the video here If possible.
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Post by Steve Backes on May 22, 2011 20:45:00 GMT -5
Unfortunately, it looks like Fox has removed the video from their site. The quick answer to determining their age is 1) any Ruby-throated with a clean white throat is a female (I don't try to guess the age of females), 2) a bird with a solid red throat (gorget) is an adult male (after second year), and 3) a bird with a strongly stripped (stippled) throat, especially if it show some red feathers, is a first year male before January 1st and a second year male after. There are 4 photos of Ruby-throateds on the Species page at: www.floridahummingbirds.net/10201.htmlSteve |
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