Mayne Island enjoys the company of two hummingbird species: the Rufous (Selasphorus rufus) and the Anna’s (Calypte anna) [with occasional rare visits from other hummer species, such as Calliope (Stellula caliope) or Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri) from the mainland interior].
The Rufous hummers are here only in the spring and summer. They spend the fall and winter in Mexico and migrate north to breed. They begin arriving on Mayne Island in mid-to-late March (males usually arriving first, followed shortly by the females).
They depend on early flowering nectar sources during their migration and upon arrival on their breeding territory, and can be very defensive of food sources. They will raise one brood of chicks before migrating south again in late summer.
The Anna’s hummingbirds are year-round residents here. During the fall and winter they can often be found around plant nurseries and gardens with winter flowers, where a supply of nectar is dependable. They breed very early (late Januray-early February) and may raise two broods of chicks each year.
Both these species of hummingbird supplement their nectar intake with lots of tiny insects, especially when nectar sources are scarce and when they are feeding their chicks. The young need the protein that an insect diet provides for healthy development.
The Anna’s hummingbirds (4 in/10 cm) are slightly larger than the Rufous birds (3.75 in/9.5 cm), and the males of each species are easy to tell apart. The photographs below, by Vancouver Island photographers Ted Ardley and Ralph Hocken, help to distinguish the male birds.
In PHOTO #1, notice that the head and throat of the Anna’s male is covered with iridescent feathers that reflect a fuchsia colour in the right light. In PHOTO #2, the Rufous male has orange-red iridescence on his throat feathers only; his head is covered with non-iridescent reddish-brown feathers, which also cover most of the rest of his body (hence his name “rufous,” meaning reddish-brown). The iridescent feather colour is not due to pigments but to the structure of the feathers, so it is known as “structural” colour. It will reflect as fuchsia-coloured (Anna’s male) or orangey-red (Rufous male) only if the angle of light reflected from the feathers is ideal from your perspective. If the angle of reflection is not ideal, the iridescent feathers will appear to be dark or black, as shown in the side view of an Anna’s male in PHOTO #3, and a Rufous male in PHOTO #4.
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC) Anna’s male hummingbird. Note the structural fuchsia colour of feathers on the head & throat. Also note the greenish gray colour of feathers on the abdomen.
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Rufous male hummingbird.
Note the structural orangey-red colour
of feathers on throat only and the
warm reddish-brown colour of most
feathers on rest of body.
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Anna’s male airborne.
Note apparent change in “colour” of iridescent feathers on head and throat from fuchsia to dark. Also note green back (with some structural reflection that almost looks “blue”) and green sides.
(Ralph Hocken, Lantzville, BC)
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Two different views of a Rufous males. Note the apparent change in the “colour” of the iridescent feathers on throat, depending on the angle of reflected light relative to the camera lens. Also note basic rufous (reddish-brown) colour overall.
PHOTOS #1 – 5 above also show differences between the Anna’s males and the Rufous males over the rest of their bodies. The Anna’s males (PHOTOS #1 & #3) have a greenish back, greenish sides and greenish-gray abdomens. The Rufous males (PHOTOS #2, #4 & #5) have reddish-brown backs (sometimes with some green on the top of the head and across the shoulders between the wings), and reddish-brown sides and abdomens. The Rufous males also have a little collar of white feathers between their iridescent throats and their rufous bellies, and some white behind the feet.
The female Anna’s and female Rufous are more difficult to tell apart with just a fleeting glimpse, but with a little time to study them resting on a branch or feeder perch, there are some differences. The mature females of both species have a spot of iridescent feathers in the centre of the throat. PHOTO #6 below shows an Anna’s female feeding her chicks, and the iridescent spot on her throat reflects a fuchsia colour. Notice in PHOTO #7 that when the angle of the photograph changes slightly, the iridescent spot on the same Anna’s female no longer appears so colourful.
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Anna’s female
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Same Anna’s female
PHOTOS #8, 9 & 10 below show Rufous females feeding chicks, gleaning nesting material and hovering. The central throat patch, when visible, tends to reflect a reddish-orange colour, and the back and head are typically green. The best feature to use in distinguishing the female Rufous from the female Anna’s is the reddish-brown colour on the sides, tail and some of the undertail feathers of the Rufous females. Their rufous flanks are distinctive in all these photos.
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Rufous female
(Ralph Hocken, Lantzville, BC)
Rufous female gleaning nesting material
(Ted Ardley, Victoria, BC)
Rufous female hovering
We hope you enjoy seeing these hummingbirds while you are on Mayne Island. Both Rufous and Anna’s hummers will come to hummingbird feeders, though they are content to find their nectar (as well as tiny insects) from natural sources and usually only supplement their nectar intake with feeder visits. If you decide to put up a feeder, the best nectar solution is a 25% white sugar/water mixture, boiled for 2 minutes and then cooled (and kept cool until used). This comes closest to matching the sugar concentration of wild nectar sources. [Using brown sugar or honey is NOT recommended. Just keep it simple.] And if you do put out a feeder, please clean it frequently (every few days) and refresh the solution just as frequently (especially if the weather’s hot and the feeder is in direct sunlight).
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