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wtf_nature
Mystery Hummingbird Likely Solved
I thought I would update this, since several folks have asked. Not exactly wtf, just an update.
A while back I posted this mislabeled hummingbird mount that I own, one of two of the same thing.
s,
Out of the blue someone came in and, as you can see in the last comments, figured it out. They seem to be aberrant specimens of Chrysolampis mosquitus, the Ruby Topaz hummingbird (not to be confused with the Crimson or Fiery Topaz).
Normal Ruby Topazes:
Some really bad ones, all I have is my web cam right now, sorry, of the two of my mounts.
And for redundancy, a few of the crisper one from before:
Wiki on Ruby Topazes:
The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus), commonly referred to simply as the Ruby Topaz, is a small bird that breeds in the Lesser Antilles and tropical northern South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas, south to central Brazil and northern Bolivia; also from Colombia into southern Panama. It is the only member of the genus Chrysolampis. It is a seasonal migrant, although its movements are not well understood.
This hummingbird inhabits open country, gardens and cultivation. It is 8.1 cm long and weighs 3.5 g. Compared to most other hummingbirds, the almost straight, black bill is relatively short.
The male has green-glossed dark brown upperparts. The crown and nape are glossy red, and the throat and breast are brilliant golden-orange. The rest of the underparts are brown, and the chestnut tail is tipped black. The male often looks very dark, until he turns and the brilliant colours flash in the sunlight.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird has bronze-green upperparts and pale grey underparts. The tail is chestnut with a dark subterminal band and a white tip. Females from Trinidad typically have a greenish throat-streak (it may appear dark), but this is not common elsewhere in its range. Juvenile females are similar to adult females, but with a white-tipped dusky-brown tail. Juvenile males resemble the juvenile female, but with a variable amount of iridescent orange to the throat.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird lays two eggs in a tiny cup nest in the fork of a low branch. Incubation takes 16 days, and fledging another 18 or 19.
The food of this species is nectar, taken from a wide variety of flowers, and some small insects. Ruby-topaz Hummingbird males perch conspicuously and defend their territories aggressively. The call of this species is a high-pitched tsip.
~~~~~
Should the wiki be edited to match what the handbook on birds says?
A while back I posted this mislabeled hummingbird mount that I own, one of two of the same thing.
s,
Out of the blue someone came in and, as you can see in the last comments, figured it out. They seem to be aberrant specimens of Chrysolampis mosquitus, the Ruby Topaz hummingbird (not to be confused with the Crimson or Fiery Topaz).
Normal Ruby Topazes:
Some really bad ones, all I have is my web cam right now, sorry, of the two of my mounts.
And for redundancy, a few of the crisper one from before:
Wiki on Ruby Topazes:
The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus), commonly referred to simply as the Ruby Topaz, is a small bird that breeds in the Lesser Antilles and tropical northern South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas, south to central Brazil and northern Bolivia; also from Colombia into southern Panama. It is the only member of the genus Chrysolampis. It is a seasonal migrant, although its movements are not well understood.
This hummingbird inhabits open country, gardens and cultivation. It is 8.1 cm long and weighs 3.5 g. Compared to most other hummingbirds, the almost straight, black bill is relatively short.
The male has green-glossed dark brown upperparts. The crown and nape are glossy red, and the throat and breast are brilliant golden-orange. The rest of the underparts are brown, and the chestnut tail is tipped black. The male often looks very dark, until he turns and the brilliant colours flash in the sunlight.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird has bronze-green upperparts and pale grey underparts. The tail is chestnut with a dark subterminal band and a white tip. Females from Trinidad typically have a greenish throat-streak (it may appear dark), but this is not common elsewhere in its range. Juvenile females are similar to adult females, but with a white-tipped dusky-brown tail. Juvenile males resemble the juvenile female, but with a variable amount of iridescent orange to the throat.
The female Ruby-topaz Hummingbird lays two eggs in a tiny cup nest in the fork of a low branch. Incubation takes 16 days, and fledging another 18 or 19.
The food of this species is nectar, taken from a wide variety of flowers, and some small insects. Ruby-topaz Hummingbird males perch conspicuously and defend their territories aggressively. The call of this species is a high-pitched tsip.
~~~~~
Should the wiki be edited to match what the handbook on birds says?