What field mark is reliable for identifying the female Black-chinned Hummingbird tail?
Answer
Conspicuous white tips on the outer tail feathers
Identifying females and immature birds is substantially harder than identifying males because they lack the iridescent gorgets. For the female Black-chinned Hummingbird, one of the most reliable field marks observable in flight, often visible on both sexes, involves the tail. Specifically, one should look for distinct white tips appearing on the outer feathers of the tail. This specific tail marking provides a strong indicator pointing towards the Black-chinned species, especially when lighting conditions prevent a clear view of the throat area.
Related Questions
What shape distinguishes the adult male Costa's Hummingbird gorget display?What feature characterizes the Black-chinned Hummingbird male gorget?What field mark is reliable for identifying the female Black-chinned Hummingbird tail?How does the flank wash color typically differ between female Costa's and Black-chinned Hummingbirds?Which species possesses a notably longer bill relative to its body size?What specific habitat is the Costa's Hummingbird strongly associated with in the American Southwest?In which setting is the Black-chinned Hummingbird frequently found during the breeding season?What iridescent color describes the spectacularly large gorget of the adult male Costa's Hummingbird?How does the overall physical profile of the Costa's Hummingbird compare to the Black-chinned Hummingbird?According to identification difficulty, which group presents the greatest hurdle for birders distinguishing between the two species?When adult males are not displaying and females are foraging quietly, what identification method becomes paramount?