Hummingbirds in Delaware

Like most states, Delaware has at least two species of hummingbirds that make yearly visits to the gardens and hummingbird feeders in the area, generally in April. These two species, which are common in most states throughout the nation, are Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird.

Visitors and residents of Delaware can distinguish between the two species by looking at the colors of the feathers that cover the body of the hummingbirds and by the shape of the tail feathers, instead of their size, as there is not much difference in their size. Neither of these species is very big, but they are not as small as other species found in the United States.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the smaller of the two species; with males weighing in the area of 3.1g and females weighing a little bit more. The Rufous Hummingbird weighs a little bit more than the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, with males weighing about 3.22g and females weighing 3.41g. The main difference between the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the Rufous Hummingbird is not the weight difference, as there is not that much difference between the two. The main difference between the two species of Hummingbirds is the colors that give them their names. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird gets its name from the ruby colored feathers that cover the throat of the male. Unfortunately, the female does not have the same ruby colored feathers cover its throat; instead, it has white feathers covering its throat as well as its breast. The male Ruby-throated Hummingbird also has a forked tail and the female has a rounded white-tipped tail. Both sexes have emerald green feathers that cover their backs. With this information, anyone interested in identifying a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

To identify a Rufous Hummingbird it could be easier to make sure the bird in question is not a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird by looking at the bird's throat. If it is not ruby colored, then look at the feathers covering the crown, tail and sides. If they are a rufous color, the next place to look is at the bird's back, which could be green, rufous, or a combination of these colors. Other markings to look for include orange-red feathers covering the throat and white feathers covering the breast. If the bird has these markings, it is more than likely a male Rufous Hummingbird. The female Rufous Hummingbird can be identified by green feathers that cover its back and crown. It also has a white breast like the male and a streaked throat. But, if the hummingbird in question is not a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird or a male Rufous Hummingbird, then it is more than likely a female of one of these species or another species that is not usually seen in Delaware.

Identifying the hummingbirds that visit Delaware is not as hard as identifying the hummingbirds that visit some states because of there only being two species that show up in Delaware. With this in mind, learning what these two species look like, both the male and female of each species included would make identifying the hummingbird at the feeder or in the garden simpler.