Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird Tail

The female ruby throated hummingbird has a rounded tail without the sharp points of the male s tail feathers though they are still somewhat pointed.

Female ruby throated hummingbird tail.

The tail is forked. These brilliant tiny precision flying creatures glitter like jewels in the full sun then vanish with a zip toward the next nectar source. She is distinguished by a white throat and a dark rounded tail with white tips. The ruby throated hummingbird s tongue is even longer.

Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of hummingbirds each summer. Almost all hummingbirds of 7 years or more in age are females with males rarely surviving past 5 years of age. Female ruby throated hummingbird taking various defensive and evasive actions around a man made feeder. Each feather is rounded and the tail is fan shaped.

Ruby throated hummingbirds winter in mexico and central america. The outer three tail feathers on each side have white tips and when perched the tail is slightly longer than the folded wingtips. The female ruby throated hummingbird doesn t get the fancy gorget. While tiny and hard to see the chins of these birds can be an obvious field mark.

As with other hummingbird species the beak of the ruby throated hummingbird is exceptionally long and narrow. The flight feathers of ruby throated hummingbirds include 10 full length primary feathers six secondary feathers and 10 rectrices the largest feathers used for flight. A flash of green and red the ruby throated hummingbird is eastern north america s sole breeding hummingbird. To get there from their north american breeding grounds some birds embark on a marathon nonstop flight across the gulf of mexico.

On females the broad tailed hummingbird has a streaked throat while the female ruby throated hummingbird s throat is much more plain and any streaks would be very faint. The differences in male female and juvenile ruby throated hummingbirds are subtle but if you know what to look for you can identify between the three fairly easily. However young males above right like females of any age have white tips on the outer three rectrices on each side. Ruby throated hummingbirds are tiny birds they weigh between about 0 1 and 0 2 ounces and measure between 2 8 to 3 5 inches in length.