Help-For bird-lovers: name of this ibird?

[shootingstar]

Maidei met up with some birds on Vancouver Island.

I don't know what the real name of this bird is. Please let me know and I will change the text. It was a real cutie, very small and somehow dearie managed to catch some valuable shots on his cheapo camera.

[azfiddle]

There are 2 species of hummingbird on Vancouver Island, Rufous and Anna's, according to a quick check I made.

I think it is a Rufous. The photo looks a bit overexposed but it looks like there is a little reddish there along the side and tail. Anna's is a bit more chunky, but I wouldn't bet my life on the id....

[PamNY]

That's a great photo of the tongue! I'll post this in the Hornby eagles forum -- they will know local bird IDs.

[salsabike]

That's a hummingbird for sure, and AZ is right--it's either rufous or Anna's. If it's a female, it's almost impossible to tell if it's rufous vs. Anna's.

http://hummingbirdworld.com/h/id.htm

[shootingstar]

I believe he also saw the other hummingbird type which was a flash of red near the feeder.

I did see some clear liquid dripping from its beak..which didn't get photographed for this little one.

This bird did not have any reddish markings that I could see at that time. Hope we get to the bottom of this mysterious identity so that I can change text from "flycatcher" to its real name.

[PamNY]

The photo looks very much like this juvenile Costa's hummingbird.

I don't know hummingbirds well but in many cases the youngsters have different coloration, making ID more challenging.

http://sdakotabirds.com/species_phot...mingbird_5.htm

[Velocivixen]

I think it's a female Anna's hummingbird. They live at my house year round (Portland, OR Metro) and so I get close up views of them all the time.

[shootingstar]

It does look closest to Anna's hummingbird. We were looking up at it and couldn't see the green sheen on its female back.

Amazing creatures, those hummingbirds. I didn't know that hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of all vertabraes! And a fast heartbeat.
http://www.laspilitas.com/California...ummingbird.htm

[Trek420]

Hope we get to the bottom of this mysterious identity so that I can change text from "flycatcher" to its real name.

Also change the reason for his/her sticking the tongue out Hummingbirds eat nectar only. So no "anticipation of an insect meal".

Perhaps he's sticking his tongue out because "I just got mistaken for a flycatcher. Oh the humiliation"

But still, nice shot and nice close up. You rarely catch them resting.

[shootingstar]

But..but somewhere I read some hummingbirds do eat insects. Or maybe it was burping on its nectar. We were watching there, posed on the wire for over 10 min.

Anyway, I did change the text on the blog post to its better namesake. Thanks to all, everyone here!