Posted by Brennan Mulrooney on December 11, 2002 at 18:13:07:
In Reply to: Rufous Hummingbird posted by Jill on December 10, 2002 at 10:52:31:
Jill,
you're right about the call of Rufous Hummingbird. The only problem is (check Sibley) that it sounds just like Allen's Hummingbird (which it happens to also look just like). This is one of the rare situations in birding where vocalizations don't really help us.
I acknowledge that the odds are way better that this is indeed a Rufous and not an Allen's, but until the relavant plumage characters can be precisely noted (video is helpful) I think this still must be called a Rufous/Allen's.
Where are all the county listers trying to nail this thing down? ;)
Brennan
: On December 8th one of the selasphorus hummingbirds frequenting the firebush nearest the mailbox in front of the Coe Visitor Center finally vocalized. It was the repeated chip note of a Rufous Hummingbird, which Sibley describes as 'tyuk'... Good birding!