hummingbird – Dithyramb

Blue-throated mountain-gem hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae), at a Cave Creek Ranch feeder.

In the Chiricahua Mountains near Portal, Arizona.

Bruiser.

A few weeks ago I noticed this little first-year male Anna’s hummingbird at Ash Canyon. He was injured; the tips of his upper and lower beak were dangling, barely attached. The damage looked a lot like a badly torn fingernail. Birds’ beaks are made of the same keratin as nails, only they can’t grow back once they are broken. A few days later the dangling parts dropped off.

There’s no way to tell what caused his injury—conflict, collision, or some accident while feeding—but I worried that he wouldn’t last long without a fully functional beak. Somehow he seems to be thriving.

Anna’s hummingbirds are resident here all winter; I expect he will stay close, where he has a consistent food source. When I first noticed him he was only eating insects that he caught on the wing, even though he was badly hurt. He has begun feeding at flowers again, which accounts for the smudge of pollen on his forehead. And he has become fiercely protective of his favorite feeder at the sanctuary, so at least I can find him in the crowd and keep track of his progress.

J’accuse!

Violet-crowned hummingbird (Amazilia violiceps) at an Ash Canyon feeder.

I try not to anthropomorphize, but I definitely see something like contempt and derision in that expression.

Golden boy.

First-year male rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) at Ash Canyon. Rufous are late season visitors to southeastern Arizona. Their arrival signals the beginning of the southward migration, with hundreds of hummingbirds stopping over at the bird sanctuary each day. It is astonishing to see the air alive with so many hummers at once.

Après le bain.

Broad-billed hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris) fluffing and preening after a bath, at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Cochise County, Arizona.

Lucifer.

Recent hummingbirds.

In terms of species diversity, I live in what is probably the best hummingbird habitat in the United States. All of these photos were taken at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary and at Beatty’s Guest Ranch in Cochise County, Arizona.

From top:

Female and male Anna’s hummingbirds in flight (Calypte anna).

Black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri

♂).

Male and female broad-billed hummingbirds (Cynanthus latirostris).

Rivoli’s hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens

♂). This bird was formerly called the magnificent hummingbird.

White-eared hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis

♂)

Gila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis). Ha! This is not a hummingbird. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Please click any photo in the set for enlarged views.