Green Violet-eared Hummingbird   

Sunset, LA    -    May 9, 2004

Home of Chrys Vildibill

This hummingbird was first seen Sunday morning feeding with the Ruby-throated at the feeders and from the honey suckle in Chrys's back yard. It was a regular visitor every 20 to 30 minutes through out the day with the last observed feeding at 7:30PM. The next and last time it was seen was Monday morning at 6:30 AM.

Chrys called shortly after lunch on Sunday to tell of the unusual green hummingbird with some blue on the chest and throat. I called Paul Conover to join my wife, Sue, and me for a trip to investigate. Thirty minutes later we were watching a Green Violet-eared Hummingbird chattering from the coral honey suckle.

I set my camera on a tripod next to the feeder and recorded the following shots. The first set was slightly over exposed hoping to get detail of the body coloring.

Paul pointed out the different color of the green secondary coverts and the brown primary coverts with a green edging.   This is not a great tail shot, but it does show the pale under tail coverts.

The next set were shot at proper exposer for true color. 

I also took a few of the Ruby-throated with the camera in the same location and the birds at the same feeder port. I combined the pictures to give an idea of a size comparison.

Male Ruby-throated and Green-violet-eared.

Female Ruby-throated and Green-violet-eared.

I arrived ready for banding on Monday morning. We waited 3 hours and it did not return. There was no sign of it on Tuesday either, and I fear it has moved on. Banding would have been nice, but I feel very fortunate just to have enjoyed it's company.

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