Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird Tail

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 tail.

The ruby throated hummingbird s tongue is even longer. The female ruby throated hummingbird doesn t get the fancy gorget. Adult male ruby throated hummingbirds above left have pointed rectrices tail feathers that are all dark with no white tips. 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.

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. Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds and some people turn their yards into buzzing clouds of hummingbirds each summer. The oldest known ruby throated hummingbird to be banded was 9 years and 1 month of age. While tiny and hard to see the chins of these birds can be an obvious field mark.

However young males above right like females of any age have white tips on the outer three rectrices on each side. To get there from their north american breeding grounds some birds embark on a marathon nonstop flight across the gulf of mexico. The outer three tail feathers on each side have white tips and when perched the tail is slightly longer than the folded wingtips. Each feather is rounded and the tail is fan shaped.

These brilliant tiny precision flying creatures glitter like jewels in the full sun then vanish with a zip toward the next nectar source. 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. Female ruby throated hummingbird taking various defensive and evasive actions around a man made feeder. As with other hummingbird species the beak of the ruby throated hummingbird is exceptionally long and narrow.

The tail is forked. Keep in mind that from the beginning to the middle of the hummingbird season mid april to mid july you won t be seeing any juvenile birds. 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. She is distinguished by a white throat and a dark rounded tail with white tips.