male; iridescent red throat; creamy grey below (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)


Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Selasphorus platycercus

Native Range: North America

Notes: both sexes closely resembles their counterparts in the Ruby-throated Hummingbird but this species resides in the west-central United States rather than in the eastern portion of the continent; best told by the sound of its wings, which make a shrill metallic triilng sound when the bird flies by the listener.

dorsal view; greenish upperparts (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)
male posing for a portrait (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)

at the feeder (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)
scaly look to the throat (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)

brightness of the throat depends on lighting (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)
male again posing for a portrait (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-27)