Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Very rare in the NC piedmont in winter

This bird was visiting Kate's feeder for several days in January when Susan Campbell, North Carolina's licensed hummingbird bander, came to study it. Within a half-hour, Susan had carefully captured the bird with a special cage equipped with a feeder.

Several measurements were carefully recorded including bill length. Grooves on the bill indicated that this bird hatched in the summer of 2007, thus it's known as a "hatching-year" bird.

The shape of the P6 primary feather indicates this bird is a male.

Tail feather detail.

Upperparts are all green.

He was fitted with a tiny ankle band inscribed with a unique identification number.

Ventral view.

He had 9 red gorget feathers. Here's Susan's placing him in Kate's had in preparation for his release, just a few minutes after he was caught.

Outta here!

Only adult males show a bright ruby throat, so this bird is either a female or an immature male.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.