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Spotted in Tillman, SC
I don't need both birds together. A picture of a ruby throat at the same feeder.... a ruler across the area the bird is hovering. And yes, I see the pink feet, but it is highly unlikely one of these guys jetted up from Columbia.... whereas the others have been seen in nearby states... NC to SC is a short flyover and last I looked, SC is south of NC so either of the birds that have been seen in NC could easily do a fly through.
As I said, I'm offering up other possibilities... ones that make more sense. It could well be another one of Medford Oregon's white storks... or it could be something totally different. There were a couple pics of one of them with pinkish feet and I think I posted it, but I can't remember now.
And yet again, neither you mentioned have pink feet like this bird does. It helps to check all the characters before suggesting something. And you do realize that people don't control birds and can't just put another bird at the feeder with this one for a comparison?
And a picture of the feeder with something else feeding too, please for comparison... preferably a ruby throat or rufous, but an oriole would work too!
The white spot behind the eye is shown on green crowned brilliant and cuban emerald. It doesn't really matter which species we think it might be, we're grasping at straws in terms of likelihood. Hence I'd like something to determine size of the feeder and the hummer in question. If it is 7 inches then I agree 100% with sapphirewing. If smaller, it is something else. Unless that is a really huge feeder/perch then I suspect something else.
For the last 5 years or so, the Oregon bird list has been buzzing with white stork sightings in Jakson Cnty and the possibilities of what else it might be. It is a white stork, but it is a captive that hasn't been wing clipped and takes off on forays and comes home to the two wing clipped females. Ditto a male painted bunting nearer to me(SE) as the same feeder has attracted red factor canaries too - thus probability of a local breeder with faulty caging). On the other hand, a female painted bunting(opposite direction- NW), a female vermillion flycatcher, and a caracara near the cali-oregon border speak of possible straying from Mexico/Texas. I'm not trying to be contrary, just looking at all possibilities in the attempt to explain the sighting, since it is determined to not be a current captive and Columbia seems a very long ways for a hummer to be off course.
My son's mother-in-law says he is there two or three times a day. I am asking her to try and get more photos.
Green breasted Mango do not have the white patch behind the eye. I have seen these in the tropics. This bird to my own thought looks more along the lines of a Magnificent Hummingbird. This bird is a migrant, and can show up almost anywhere in the US but is a species commonly found in Arizona. It looks large, and has strong contrast on the underwings. On top of that, the white dot on the eye is a good marking on this species. My two cents.
Yea, that site you gave says nothing about those two in SC, so not sure what point you were trying to make with it? I think it makes more sense to go with birds that this one looks like (which is neither of the two you mentioned), then assume it is a released bird.
Actually those two are listed as NC vagrants, and a couple others for Florida. Unless it is a released bird, it seems logical to think of similar birds that have been known to stray, if not to the USA, to mexico http://www.hummingbird-guide.com/species... http://www.hiltonpond.org/ResearchHummer...
As opposed to a bird from S America. Not ruling it out, but it just makes sense to go for more lkely species - also as I said, I'd like to see that feeder with a ruler or something else for size, beacuse that would give us a lot more to go by in terms of identification
Green-breasted Mango?? Definitely not found in South Carolina. It is rare in the US, and when it is in the US it is is Arizona and occasionally Texas. One or two may have been recorded sometime in the past in SC, but it by no means occurs there. It also has different colored feet and the breast don't match. Green Violetear is the same with the range, would be incredibly rare in the eastern US. This bird also looks nothing like that.
I would love to see another picture for a better look at the tail. But more importantly, a photo of the feeder with something to give an idea of the size of the perch. The sapphirewing is about twice the size of our natives, and I'm not sure this bird is that big. Both the Green breasted mango(my best guess - although I agree the feet are indicative of the sapphirewing) and the green violet ear are found in S Carolina
I am asking her again. I know I keep bird books by my windows and have five busy feeders and live about 10 miles from Tillman I have only seen Rubies and 1 Rufous at my house. I thought the pic was amazing but I was a non-believer too. Still waiting to hear from her.
If this was actually wild in SC then it needs to be reported to Ebird. This species has never been documented in the state before. Considering they are only found in South America, I highly doubt this bird would have come to SC on its own.
I did not take picture my daughter- in-laws mother took it. She said he came last year too. I have the ruby throated in droves. Have had an occasional rufous. I was shocked when she posted it on Facebook. I called and ask what kind it was and she said she did not know but it had come last year too. I ask could I post it to my classes' page. Thus the picture.
Hi thaghorry. Are you sure you took this in South Carolina? Because this is not the native species of hummingbird that lives there. Was this bird captive?
Spotted on Mar 27, 2014
Submitted on Mar 30, 2014
