I can (finally) easily tell the difference between Broad-tailed and Black-chins
at my feeders because Black-chins are smaller and are certainly quieter. While
both males have greenish backs, the heads of Black-chins seem to be darker, the
'black' wraps up to or just above their eyes and further back on their
heads...giving a bit of a helmeted look. I've read the Black-chin is the least
colorful of hummingbirds found in the US...but I'm here to tell you that when
the light hits him, the black chin of the so named hummer glows a brilliant and
stunning purple right along his collar.
Perhaps the most popular way to tell the difference between these two birds is
to keep in mind Black-chins are 'tail-pumpers', a behavior you cannot miss
while watching them. In flight of course, it is the 'cricket-chirping' sound of
a Broad-tailed Hummingbird in flight that will let you know they're around.
I have side-by-side photos of the two hummers on a blog-post here: Flycatchers
and Hummingbirds, just below the bit on the flycatcher. While the photos are
not very good and I’m certainly no expert, I think my plebeian description
tells the story fairly well. I hope it helps, anyway.
Beverly Jensen
www.RuralChatter.blogspot.com
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