Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scientific name:	Archilochus colubris
Date:	June 6, 2020
Time:	1:30 p.m.
Length of time observed:	Feeder visits 10 a.m-8 p.m.
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	Male
Location:	1961 Arapaho Circle, Ogden
County:	Weber
Latilong:
Elevation:	4982
Distance to bird:	10-30 feet
Optical equipment:	8 x 42 bins, 85 mm scope with 20-60x zoom
Weather:	Mostly overcast, sometimes rainy but warm
Light Conditions:	Light to heavy overcast
Description: Size of bird:	Tiny
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Long-billed and slim-bodied
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Green upper parts, white and greenish under parts
(Description:) Bill Type:	Long and thin
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Head: Medium length (for a hummer), thin, slightly decurved black bill. Green crown. Matte black mask extending from base of bill past eye to nape aft of gorget. Small white spot behind eye; no other white on face. Gorget metallic red to orange-red. Upper parts: Green and lacking blue sheen; in poor light sometimes with a grayish cast, in good light, emerald with a slight gold cast. What appeared to be the central pair of retrices were noticeably larger than the green upper-tail covert feathers and were also green. Tail deeply notched; better seen than photographed. Outer retrices narrow. No rufous at the base of the outer tail feathers. Wingtips significantly shorter than tail. Under parts: White upper breast extended to sides of neck between lower border of gorget and green shoulder giving appearance of partial white neck-collar. Greenish-grayish sides lacking buffy tones. Black feet. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None heard, and wings did not trill like a cricket.
Behavior:	Visiting a hummingbird feeder.
Habitat:	Foothill suburban neighborhood; landscaped yard.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Combination of black mask, red gorget sometimes with orange cast and lacking extended lateral feathers eliminated virtually all other possibilities including and especially Broad-tailed, but also Calliope, Anna's, Black-chinned, Costa's and Lucifer. Green crown also eliminated Anna's. Several other factors further validated this was a Ruby-throat rather than a Broad-tailed including white on face restricted to small spot behind eye, lack of buffy wash down sides and lack of rufous at the base of the outer tail feathers. Lack of rufous or rusty wash anywhere eliminated Allen's and Rufous. Each featured cited in support of the ID was clearly Ruby-throat; no features appeared to favor another parent species through odd metallic glints, surprising patterns or proportions not consistent with pure parentage.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Extensive with Ruby-throat in my youth and also when I lived in San Antonio for years. Extensive with other green-backed red-throated species except Lucifer. Light experience but heavy study of Anna's because I hosted one of these also.
References consulted:	Sibley; Williamson, 2001; Pyle, 1997; Cornell's BNA species account
Description from:	Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Kristin Purdy
Observer's address:	1961 Arapaho Circle, Ogden
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Taylor Abbott, Pomera Fronce, Mike Hearell
Date prepared:	June 6, 2020
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Hummer showed up in the morning and flashed me briefly with his gorget, causing me to set up a scope inside the house directed at the feeder. It took a couple more hours before I saw him well enough to confirm the ID, thus the disparity between time of report and length of time observed. Hummingbird species #6 at this address. Whoop-whoop!