Tag Archives: Trochilidae

Hummingbird Families – Firecrowns

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Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) ©WikiC

Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) ©WikiC

For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. (Psalms 21:3 NKJV)

A few days ago, I used this photo for one of our Daily Devotionals, Lee’s Two Word Tuesday. It is such a beautiful creation from the Lord, that I wondered what I could find out about it and where it is from. So, here is what I discovered:

The firecrowns are the genus Sephanoides of the hummingbirds. There are two species. They are members of the Trochilidae – Hummingbird Family.

Green-backed firecrown, Sephanoides sephaniodes

Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) ©Flickr Flavio Camus

Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) ©Flickr Flavio Camus

The Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) occurs widely in Argentina and Chile and Isla Róbinson Crusoe, one of a three-island archipelago belonging to Chile. This Firecrown seasonally migrates to the mainland. Both species will hang from flower petals or leaves with their feet. They feed on nectar and insects.

“This compact bird has a short bill and tail, overall dark green plumage with whitish-gray underparts, and males possess a namesake glowing orange-red crown patch. These birds are highly territorial and often badger wayward trespassing birds as large as caracaras.” (Neotropical Birds)

Juan Fernández firecrown, Sephanoides fernandensis

Juan FernándezFirecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis hembra) ©Flickr Island Conservation

Juan Fernández Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis hembra) Subspecies ©Flickr Island Conservation

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:19 KJV)

The Juan Fernández Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) is a hummingbird that is found solely on Isla Róbinson Crusoe, one of a three-island archipelago belonging to Chile. It is 350 miles off the coast. It is non-migratory and shares the island with its smaller relative the Green-backed Firecrown.

The Juan Fernández Firecrown arguably shows the greatest degree of sexual dimorphism found among hummingbirds. Unlike in most hummingbirds, where females simply lack the ornamental plumage of the males, in S. fernandensis they are also brilliantly-colored, but differ so much from males that in the 19th century they were thought to be different species until a nest was discovered with one of each sex.

Juan Fernandez Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) ©WikiC

Juan Fernandez Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) ©WikiC

The male is 11.5–12 cm long and weighs 10.9 g. Its color is mostly cinnamon orange, excepting dark grey wings, black bill, and iridescent gold crown.

Juan Fernandez Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) ©Flickr Island Conservation

Juan Fernandez Firecrown (Sephanoides fernandensis) ©Flickr Island Conservation

The female is 10 cm long and weighs 6.8 g. Its underparts are white with a dappling of very small green and black areas; the crown is iridescent blue, and upperparts are blue-green.

(Information from Wikipedia)

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Trochilidae – Hummingbird Family

Lee’s Two Word Tuesday – 7/5/16

Firecrown – Wikipedia

Green-backed Firecrown – Wikipedia

Juan Fernández Firecrown  – Wikipedia

Neotropical Birds
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Calliope Hummingbirds – North America’s Smallest

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Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) Full Gorget ©WikiC

“He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.” (Psalms 115:13 KJV)

Just finished reading an article in this month’s Bird Watcher’s Digest the “Calliope Hummingbird: Tiny Muse”, (July/August ’16). They are so tiny,

“a mere 2.75 to 3 inches in lenght and weighing less than a penny — and it is also the smallest long-distant avian migrant in the world. Some travel up to 5,600 miles anually.”

Can you image something that small flying that far?

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) ©Wiki

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) ©Wiki

Thought you might like to see another one of the Lord’s amazing avian wonders.

“This is the smallest breeding bird found in Canada and the United States. The only smaller species ever found in the U.S. is the bumblebee hummingbird, an accidental vagrant from Mexico. An adult calliope hummingbird can measure 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length, span 11 cm (4.3 in) across the wings and weigh 2 to 3 g (0.071 to 0.106 oz). These birds have glossy green on the back and crown with white underparts. Their bill and tail are relatively short. The adult male has wine-red streaks on the throat, green flanks and a dark tail. Females and immatures have a pinkish wash on the flanks, dark streaks on the throat and a dark tail with white tips. The only similar birds are the rufous hummingbird and the Allen’s hummingbird, but these birds are larger with more distinct and contrasting rufous markings on tail and flanks, and longer central tail feathers.” (Wikipedia)

“And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” (Revelation 19:5 KJV)

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Trochilidae – Hummingbirds Family

Calliope Hummingbird – All About Birds

Calliope Hummingbird – What Bird

Calliope Hummingbird – Bird Web

Calliope Hummingbird – Audubon

Calliope Hummingbird – Wikipedia

Wordless Birds – With Hummingbirds
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Pollinators….

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Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus) ©WikiC

Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus) ©WikiC

Pollinators…. ~ by a j mithra

Hummingbirds and ornithophilous (bird-pollinated) flowers
were created to have a mutualistic relationship.
The flowers have nectar suited to the birds’ diet,
their color suits the birds’ vision
and their shape fits that of the birds’ bills.

The blooming times of the flowers have also been found
to coincide with hummingbirds’ breeding seasons….

The Rose of Sharon has the nectar
that suits our spiritual diet..

The Rose of Sharon has the power
to purify our soul…

The Rose of Sharon’s will
is to shape our lives for His glory…

If only we had pollinated the way
The Rose of Sharon wanted us to do,
our classmates and our colleagues.
our neighborhood and our nationhood
would not only have known Jesus,
but also would have been effective pollinators…
By the way,
are we seasonal pollinators or regulars?

And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mathew 16:15)

Have a blessed day!

Yours in YESHUA,

a j mithra

Please visit us at:

Crosstree

ajmithra21

Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula) by Ian

Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula) by Ian

Lee’s Addition:

Ornithophily or Bird Pollination is the pollination of flowering plants by birds. The Creator created this association is derived from insect pollination (entomophily) and is particularly well developed in some parts of the world, especially in the tropics and on some island chains. The association involves several distinctive plant adaptations forming a “pollination syndrome”. The plants typically have colorful, often red, flowers with long tubular structures holding ample nectar and orientations of the stamen and stigma that ensure contact with the pollinator. Birds involved in ornithophily sre specialist nectarivores with brushy tongues, long beaks, capable of hovering flight or are light enough to perch on the flower structures. (Edited from Wikipedia)

Hummingbird – CreationWiki

Trochilidae – Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds – All About Birds

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Interesting Things – Hummingbird Courtship Songs

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Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Just received an interesting article from the Birdwatching Magazine Newsletter. Research has been going on about how the Hummingbird produces sound by the way they spread their tail. The vibrations send out sounds that they use for courtship. “As a diving bird spreads its tail, the motion exposes the tail feathers to air, causing it to flutter like a flag in the breeze and generate sound. This so-called aerodynamic flutter can be hazardous to airplanes, but in hummingbirds it produces a species-specific sound essential to courtship.”

To read the whole article, go to:

http://cs.birdwatchingdaily.com/BRDCS/blogs/field_of_view/archive/2011/09/08/Diving-hummingbirds-produce-species_2D00_specific-courtship-songs-_2D002D00_-with-their-tails.aspx

Hummingbirds are in the Trochilidae Family, which at present has 340 species. Their Order, the Apodiformes, has not only Hummers but also the Owlet-nightjars, Treeswifts, and regular Swift families.

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Marvelous Spatuletail from Peru

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Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)©©

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)©©

“Peru’s Marvellous Hummingbird

(from Creation Moments)

In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people. (Isaiah 28:5)

In 1835, when scientists first saw Peru’s most unusual hummingbird, they were so overcome with its beauty that they gave it the name “Marvellous.” This little bird treats the eye to iridescent green, yellow, orange, and purple feathers. But its most unusual feature is its tail. While most birds have eight to twelve tail feathers, the Marvellous hummingbird has only four. Two of these are long, pointed, thorn-like feathers that don’t seem to help much in flying or landing. The other two feathers are truly marvellous. They are six inches long, three times the length of the bird’s two-inch body. On the end of these two long narrow feathers are large feather fans that nearly equal the surface area of its wings.

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) ©©

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) ©©

Astonishingly, the Marvelous hummingbird has complete control of these feathers. At rest, the bird perches with these two feathers hanging down an inch or so from its body, and then crossing them until they are horizontal. In flight and landing they provide remarkable maneuverability. During mating, the hummingbird moves them as semaphores. Interestingly enough, evolutionists admit that they are stumped as to why these unusual feathers should have evolved.

One look at our creation clearly shows that our Creator appreciates beauty. But even the beautiful Marvelous hummingbird is but a poor and cloudy hint of the beauty of our Creator Himself.

Prayer:
Dear Father, help me treat the beauty You have created as You would have me to do. Let me be filled with thanksgiving to You for it, and let it remind me that You are the source of all that is truly beautiful. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Notes:
Crawford H. Greenewalt. The Marvelous Hummingbird Rediscovered. National Geographic, Vol. 130, No. 1. P. 98-101.”

©Creation Moments 2010

Lee’s Addition:

The Marvellous Hummingbird is now the Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis). It is in the Hummingbird Family (Trochilidae) and is part of the Apodiformes Order.

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) ©WikiC-Gould_Troch._pl._161

Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) ©WikiC-Gould_Troch._pl._161

The Marvelous (also Marvellous) Spatuletail (hummingbird), Loddigesia mirabilis, is a medium-sized (up to 5.9 in/15 cm long) white, green and bronze hummingbird adorned with blue crest feathers, a brilliant turquoise gorget, and a black line on its white underparts. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Loddigesia.

A Peruvian endemic, this species is found in the forest edge of the Río Utcubamba region. It was first reported in 1835 by the bird collector Andrew Matthews for George Loddiges. The Marvellous Spatuletail is unique among birds, for it has just four feathers in its tail. Its most remarkable feature is the male’s two long racquet-shaped outer tail feathers that cross each other and end in large violet-blue discs or “spatules”. He can move them independently.

Information gathered from Creation Moments, Wikipedia, and YouTube.

Wordless Birds

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Formed By Him – Sword-billed Hummingbird

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Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) by Michael Woodruff

Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) by Michael Woodruff

He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. (Psalms 33:5 NKJV)

The Lord has graciously outfitted a small, but unique hummingbird. The Sword-billed Hummingbird has an unusually long bill.

I came across this bird today while checking out photographs of our newest Photographer to give permission to use his fantastic photos. Michael Woodruff’s Photostream has some shots that have just taken my breath away today. Thanks, Michael, for the permission to use the great images that you have captured through your lenses.

When I first saw the Sword-billed Hummingbird, my first thought was why did God make it like that. There has to be a reason for that beak being so long. After investigating some, here are a few facts about this bird:

What is so unique about the Sword-billed Hummer is that it is noted as the only species of bird to have a bill longer than the rest of its body. This beak is used to feed on flowers with long corollas such as Passiflora mixta. The tongue is therefore also unusually long. God had a long flower that needed pollination and so He created a long billed hummingbird to get in that long tube. The bird gets the nectar, carries away pollen and the bird and flower both have their needs provided.

Passiflora mixta galupa - Suncrest Nurseries

Passiflora mixta galupa – Suncrest Nurseries

(From Suncrest Nurserises) “Passiflora mixta – A cool growing species with long tubed flowers that face outward and upward at a 45 degree angle. The color is a vibrant pink with white highlights. It is a large and vigorous grower and puts on an amazing show. The variety ‘Galupa’ has flowers that face outward and downward at a 45 degree angle and are a bit larger in overall aspect. A very beautiful species”

Because it’s beak is so long, it has to groom itself with it’s feet. The Sword-billed Hummingbird was created by an Omniscient Creator that knew it needed the long bill for the flowers, but also had to have a way to keep well groomed.

Keith Blomerley, one of our videographers, captured a Sword-billed Hummingbird perched on a tree and looking around. Another bird flies by.

 

Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)©WikiC

Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) is a species of hummingbird from South America and the sole member of the genus Ensifera. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

The total length can be 15 cm (6 in) and the bird can weigh 12 grams, making it one of the largest hummingbirds.

What an amazing hummingbird. The Hummingbirds are in the Apodiformes Order which includes not only the hummers (Trochilidae), but also Owlet-nightjars (Aegothelidae), Treeswifts (Hemiprocnidae) and Swifts (Apodidae).

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16 NKJV)

Updated 11/30/10:

Just received this note from Michael Woodruff about this article and thought I would attach it.

The Sword-billed Hummingbird is quite a bird. We saw two or three of them at the Yanacocha Reserve in the Andes of Ecuador. They were crazy to watch as they knew right where the end of their beak was, feeding out of the hummingbird feeders. It looked like quite a feat to balance that bill, but they were good at it!

Glad you’re enjoying the photos and it would be cool to hear which ones you end up using at some point. I think it’s great how you’re incorporating scripture verses on the pages. Awesome stuff.

Have a great week and hope you’re getting to feeling better.

Michael

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Scintillant Hummingbird

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Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) by Ian

Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Scintillant Hummingbird ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter – 11/25/10

At the Hotel Savegre (http://www.savegre.co.cr/) where I stayed in the highlands in Costa Rica in pursuit of the Resplendent Quetzal, a variety of Hummingbirds were regular visitors to the hummingbird feeders and the flowers in the garden. The largest of these was the Magnificent Hummingbird, up to 14cm/5.5in in length and 10g in weight – sparrow sized – as in the first photo.

Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) by Ian

Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) by Ian

Size, however, isn’t everything particularly in hummingbirds and big ones risk looking like, dare I say it, mere ordinary birds. Much of the fascination in hummingbirds is how insect-like they are, so the smaller the better, and my favourite was the tiny Scintillant Hummingbird. The males, second and third photo, tip the scales at 2.1g with a length of 6.5cm/2.6in (the females average 2.3g and 7cm) and perched, seemingly weightless, on the tips and edges of the leaves of Zantedeschia plants. Their over-sized orange gorgets are very striking and this species is endemic to the mountain slopes of Costa Rica and Western Panama.

Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) by Ian

Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) by Ian

Incidentally, the smallest hummingbird of all, in fact the smallest bird of all, is the Bee Hummingbird of Cuba with the males, again smaller than the females, averaging 1.6g and 5cm/2in, not that much smaller the Scintillant Hummingbird. The largest is the Giant Hummingbird of the Andes, up to 23g in weight and 22cm/8.7in long and apparently swift-like in flight. Not surprisingly, the Bee Hummingbird is on my bucket list, the Giant isn’t.

Our premature wet season continues in North Queensland, so the website has received plenty of attention. I’ve revised the Thrush galleries with the addition of 6 Central American species, added a couple of swallows and the badly-named Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher – it may be silky but it’s not a flycatcher and it mostly eats fruit:

Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush

Black-faced Solitaire

Mangrove Swallow

Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher

Best wishes,

Ian

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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,

454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818

Phone: +61-7 4751 3115

Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au

Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

Wow! What gorgeous Hummingbirds. Love that Scintillant’s colors, but the Magnificent is also magnificent. What a creative Hand the Lord used when they were created.

Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number. (Job 5:9 NKJV)

The Hummingbirds belong to the Trochilidae Family of the Apodiformes Order. That Order not only has Hummingbirds, but also Owlet-nightjars, Treeswifts and Swifts.

The colors of the Scintillant fit right in with today’s day of Thanksgiving here in America.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us on this blog!

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalms 107:8 KJV)

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Ian’s Bird of the Week – Anna’s Hummingbird

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Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Ian’s Bird of the Week – Anna’s Hummingbird ~ by Ian Montgomery

Newsletter – 09-01-10

As promised last week, here is Anna’s Hummingbird, the common Hummingbird of gardens and parks along the West coast of the United States. Many houses, including the one I am in, have hummingbird feeders to attract these delightful birds.

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

They can be quite inconspicuous, despite the striking colours of the male birds. They alternate between hovering and sudden bursts of very rapid flight which makes them appear and disappear with equal facility. The feathers have, in effect, lots of minute mirrors on them and the bright colour is only visible at exactly the right angle to the light. Otherwise, they look quite dark, dare I say drab, like the male in the first photo hovering at the feeder. The second and third photos, also males, show the claret-coloured head and breast quite well, even though the birds are perched in the shade. Young birds and females are mainly green and grey, though adult females have a small red patch on the throat.

At 12.5cm/4in in length Anna’s is quite large by hummingbird standards. Most of the North American hummingbirds are migrants and spend the winters in Mexico and/or Central America, but Anna’s is an exception and is resident in coastal areas of the western states. They are quite aggressive and males chase other males away from feeders. They also seem quite curious and will check you out by hovering quite closely.

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) by Ian

Hummingbirds occur only in the Americas and there are more than 300 species. 27 of these, mostly photographed in Ecuador and Trinidad, are on the website: http://www.birdway.com.au/trochilidae/index.htm .

I went on a successful pelagic boat trip out of Monterey last Sunday, so next week’s bird will feature a wanderer that is also on the Australian list that I haven’t seen before. Sometimes, you have to travel quite far to track down local birds!

Best wishes,
Ian

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Ian Montgomery, Birdway Pty Ltd,
454 Forestry Road, Bluewater, Qld 4818
Phone: +61-7 4751 3115
Preferred Email: ian@birdway.com.au
Website: http://birdway.com.au

Lee’s Addition:

I am glad Ian is getting to see the Hummingbirds up close here. Sure he is as thrilled to see them as we would be watching some of those beautiful birds that they have only in Australia. Welcome to America, Ian.

Where we live, there are very few hummers even in the winter. Other area of the state get some, but not this area. The description of the reflection the hummingbird gives when facing the light reminds me of several verses.

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. (Psalms 31:16 KJV)

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. (Psalms 119:135 KJV)

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 KJV)

Check out his Trochilidae Family pages and also the Trochilidae – Hummingbird Family page here.

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