What key feature helps distinguish female Costa's Hummingbirds from Black-chinned Hummingbirds?
Answer
Presence of rusty or buffy coloration on the flanks and tail
Differentiating female and juvenile Costa's Hummingbirds can be challenging because they lack the male's dramatic visual displays. While they generally appear grayish-brown with a whitish throat patch that may have faint dusky streaks, a crucial identifier that separates them from similar species, such as the Black-chinned Hummingbird, is the specific coloration of their lower body. The presence of rusty or buffy tones on the flanks and tail feathers provides the necessary visual cue for identification, confirming their identity even in these less flashy forms.
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