06-30-14 Bird Field Note

06-30-14 Bird Field Note

June 30, 2014

Eric Rasmussen's hummingbird Field Note describes feeder placement, a survey update, and field observations.

A male black-chinned hummingbird hovers near a feeder.

We conduct 15-minute surveys at nine locations. Each site is part of a subset of three based on elevation, reflecting habitat changes across the landscape.

The low sites sit on the border of floodplain forests and treated grasslands.

A feeder hangs high in a cottonwood at the northern floodplain bench, out of the reach of bears.

The mid elevation sites reflect the transition from grassland to sagebrush/bitterbrush and conifer woodland habitat.

The highest of the midelevation sites is halfway up the west side of Baldy.

Conifer forests next to open forb/ grassland characterize the high sites.

The site near the top of Baldy had three female calliope hummingbirds feeding at the same time during our most recent survey.

One female calliope looks back and forth repeatedly while the other two feed.

A bright pink gorget identifies a male calliope hummingbird.

Black-chinned hummingbirds pump their tail when feeding. This photo captures the long, poised tail where it meets the lower back. This trait helps distinguish female blackchinned from other female hummingbirds.