ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD
Allen’s Hummingbird, named for Charles Allen, the taxidermist who first described and provided a specimen of the bird to American scientists, are part-timers here in the canyon. They only visit during their spring migration from Mexico.
Male Allen’s Hummingbirds have a metallic green back and cap, a rust colored tail, side of face and flanks with an iridescent orange-red gorget (throat patch) and a white spot behind the eye. Females and juveniles have a dull metallic green backs and dull rusty flanks and eyebrow. They both have spotting on their throats, though females have more spots and a small patch of irridescent orange (when it catches the light).
The males and females tend to have different migration schedules. The males arrive at the start of mating season (early January) to claim a territory. Allen’s are fiercely territorial and will make quite a racket as the chase other hummingbirds from their spaces. Females arrive shortly after. Females build the nest, incubate the eggs and take care of the babies without any help from the males. Males will start to head back south in mid-May. When the juveniles are old enough to fend for themselves, their mothers will head south followed a short time later by the juveniles themselves.
If you have hummers humming around your yard or balcony feeder in spring, you can be fairly certain there's a tiny nest with a couple of jellybean-sized eggs tucked into a bush or small tree nearby.