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Female Rufous Hummingbird


Female Rufous Hummingbird
Photo Information
Copyright: Wally Rufous (rufous03) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 78 W: 14 N: 212] (1366)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-06-02
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 70-200 f2.8 L USM
Exposure: f/16, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): !!! STOLEN PHOTOS !!! (II), !!! STOLEN PHOTOS !!! I [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-30 14:46
Viewed: 4130
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 33
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Female Rufous Hummingbird captured among the flowers as she checks out the photographer.

The Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 8 cm long with a long, straight and very slender bill. The female is slightly larger than the male.

The adult male, shown in the photo, has a white breast, rufous face, upperparts, flanks and tail and an iridescent orange-red throat patch (gorget). Some males have some green on back and/or crown. The female has green upperparts, white underparts, some iridescent orange feathers in the center of the throat, and a dark tail with white tips and rufous base. Females and the rare green-backed males are extremely difficult to differentiate from Allen's Hummingbird.

Their breeding habitat is open areas and forest edges in western North America from southern Alaska to California. This bird nests further north than any other hummingbird. The female builds a nest in a protected location in a shrub or conifer. The male aggressively defends feeding locations within his territory
They are migratory, many of them migrating through the Rocky Mountains and nearby lowlands in July and August to take advantage of the wildflower season there. They may stay in one spot for considerable time, in which case the migrants, like breeding birds, often aggressively take over and defend feeding locations. Most winter in wooded areas in the Mexico state of Guerrero, traveling over 2,000 miles by an overland route from its nearest summer home--a prodigious journey for a bird weighing only three or four grams.

This is the western hummingbird most likely to stray into eastern North America. There has been an increasing trend for them to migrate east to winter in the eastern United States, rather than south to Central America. This trend is the result of increased survival with the provision of artificial feeders in gardens. In the past, individuals that migrated east in error would usually die, but now they often survive, and their tendency to migrate east is inherited by their offspring. Provided sufficient food and shelter is available, they are surprisingly hardy, able to tolerate temperatures down to at least -20°C.

These birds feed on nectar from flowers using a long extendable tongue or catch insects on the wing.

Because of their small size, they are vulnerable to insect-eating birds and animals. These birds require frequent feeding while active during the day and become torpid at night to conserve energy.
peter_stoeckl, red45, goutham_ramesh, metcher has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To JoseMiguel: noise?peter_stoeckl 1 11-30 18:46
To JoseMiguel: response re noiserufous03 1 11-30 18:09
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • hester Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1515 W: 18 N: 3165] (11638)
  • [2006-11-30 14:55]

Stunning shot. I love the composition with the bird perfectly placed between the two flowers. Wonderful colours especially in the blurred BG. Sharp details with the movement frozen. Excellent

TFS

Karan

Hi Walter,

Wow. A absolutely stunning shot. Nothing to add, just perfect
TFS
Kim

Hello Walter!
I like your composition, and the bird have great detail.
Does the flowers have a bit of noise?
Regards,
JM

Hello Walter,
All I have to say is magnificent, wonder love to have something close to this someday.
TFS Rick

Hi Walter

Perfect in-flight shot. Love the composition. Pretty colours and nicely presented. :-)

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-12-01 1:19]

Superb capture, Walter.
You are definitely the master of in-flight hummers. : )
Colors, POV, sharpness, composition, exposure... all perfect.
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2006-12-01 5:28]

Hi Walter

Another superb capture of this lovley hummingbird.
The POV is very interesting but still very nice, the details impecably sharp adn the colors and tones simply gorgeous.
Also very good DOF choice adn composition.
Bravo and TFS
Horia

Hello Walter,
stunning, technically perfect capture of a loveable, charming hummer frozen in motion. I like the clear diagonal composition of just three elements.
Thank you! Best regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2006-12-01 6:25]

Hello Walter!

Almost perfect! I love composition with two flowers on two opposite corners and bird in centre. Moment is superb, pose with wide open wings also. As always in your pictures very high quality. Pity that there is too less [in my opinion] space under bird's tail.

Hello Walter,
This is an other perfect shot of this beauty. What can I say when it is just perfect? That I like those colors very much, details and great BG? ;)Congratulations for this beautiful capture. Claudine

Hi Walter,
Good image.
Bird is a real model.
Well done
TFS
Annick

Walter,

beatuiful job on this hummer,
great colors, attention to detail,
pov, dof, and focus is crisp,
very well done,

fototab

Great shot, its a masterpeice, those details on the wings are amazing. excellent position and exposure , no nits really.
TFS
Goutham R

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2006-12-02 16:03]

Exceptionnelle et superbe image. Félicitations pour la qualité et la composition.

Merci!
joseph

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-12-03 22:44]

Hello Walter

A very nicely composed photo with the flowers framing the hummer nicely.Excellent DOF and POV.The details are clear and sharp.Very well saturated colours.TFS

Rob

Hi Walter
Marvellous close-up.
Very nice BG and POV.
TFS

bonjour walter
vos photos de colibri en vol sont vraiment impressionnantes,je n'en ai jamais vu en vrai je ne connais pas raiment la difficulté que vous rencontrez pour faire cela mais c'est a chaque fois reussi;
laurent

Tack sharp shot. All technical parameters are excellent. A little bit more space between tail and border - would be perfect.

Have received confirmation that the stolen copy which was posted on Multiply Inc. has been removed. For details contact me.

Jay

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