Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

This bird was visiting Kate's feeder for several days in January when Susan Campbell, North Carolina's licensed hummingbird bander, came to study it. Within a half-hour, Susan had carefully captured the bird with a special cage equipped with a feeder.

Several measurements were carefully recorded including bill length. Grooves on the bill indicated that this bird hatched in the summer of 2007, thus it's known as a "hatching-year" bird.

The shape of the P6 primary feather indicates this bird is a male.

Tail feather detail.

Upperparts are all green.

He was fitted with a tiny ankle band inscribed with a unique identification number.

Ventral view.

He had 9 red gorget feathers. Here's Susan's placing him in Kate's had in preparation for his release, just a few minutes after he was caught.

Outta here!

Only adult males show a bright ruby throat, so this bird is either a female or an immature male.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.

Digiscoped by hand-holding a Nikon CoolPix 4500 to a Kowa TSN-824 spotting scope.