A golden hummingbird?

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Any hummingbird experts out there who can help identify this little guy just from a description? He's very shy compared to my winter "regulars" and I've tried for almost three days to get a picture--no joy so far!

He's about "medium" sized for the hummingbirds we see here in SoCal. Showed up right before a storm which brought the neighborhood some snow on Wed. and is still here this morning. When sitting face on to the sun, he just looks a lot like a ruby throat, with the red going a little further up around his face, but when he turns or flies, he's a deep but very bright gold almost all over. Best I can describe the color is it's like pictures a friend in Florida has of dorado he's caught in those first few seconds out of the water before they turn darker. It's gorgeous.

I haven't found a picture yet, either. Any ideas what this little guy might be?

Rick C

 

[jimbo1096]

I suggest it is probably a Rufous Hummingbird. There are several varieties of hummingbirds that have shades of orange to orange /gold backs that can catch the light and be quite spectactular. You are in their migratory range.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rufous_Hummingbird/id

 

[Rick Courtright]

I suggest it is probably a Rufous Hummingbird.

Hi,

Thanks, jimbo: I think I looked at that same one, yet the descriptions I've found don't quite match what I think I'm seeing. This little guy's face matches your picture pretty well, but his back is a dark greenish color when he's not in the bright sunlight. That's closer to the descriptions I've seen of an Allen's hummingbird, but all the descriptions I've seen so far talk about a "coppery" appearance on both species, and this little fellow is bright gold! Maybe the light's playing tricks on me?

Rick C

 

[sfhogman]

I'm gonna go with immature Anna's hummingbird.
My story and I'm stickin' to it!

Jeff

 

[Fox Mike]

Is this one it?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/truelifeimages/463432395/

 

[Rick Courtright]

Is this one it?

Hi,

Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me:

Out of the bright sunshine, my little guy's face looks ruby red like jimbo's picture, and his back a darkish green like FM's picture. But when he moves out into the sun, everything (including the red throat) appears to change to a bright golden color. Look at jimbo's picture: on the left side of it, his bird shows a small golden patch in the red near its shoulder. Out in the sun, that's about the color of this entire bird! As for size, he's about half the size of "Harry," my year 'round resident male Anna's hummingbird, so if he is a juvenile Anna's, he must be about jr. high age (in hummingbird years!)

I'll try again in the morning to get a picture so you guys don't think I'm still drying out from New Year's Eve!

Rick C