Subject: Xantus' Hummingbird
Date: Nov 22 20:22:33 1997
From: Eugene Hunn - hunnhome at accessone.com


Gene Hunn, Seattle, hunnhome at accessone.com

I made the run to Gibson's, B.C. this morning in hopes the Xantus' Hummer
would still be there. It was. Seeming quite content with its periodic (every
20 minutes or so) feedings in the yard of our generous hosts there (whose
names escape), who have gone so far as to provide a port-a-potty, expecting
quite a crowd. As well they might, as this bird has to be one of the world's
most bizarrely displaced individuals. Perhaps with the help of that
hurricane that slashed across Baja and ended up in Arizona a while back.

Xantus' Hummingbird is one of some 50-odd Mexican species of the family,
this one peculiar in that it is endemic to southern Baja California, having
occurred outside this narrow range but once before, in Ventura, California,
I believe, in 1990. Being sedentary, locally endemic, and probably
relatively uncommon overall, the likelihood of it turning up alive and well
in Canada seems vanishingly small. Yet there it is.

The American Ornithological Association checklist assigns it the name
Hylocharis xantusii, which indicates that it is first cousin to the
White-eared Hummingbird, Hylocharis leucotis, which is a rare visitor to SE
Arizona and which nests widely throughout the high mountains of Mexico and
Central America. However, Steve Howell and Sophie Webb, in their Guide to
the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America -- which is the last word
for south of the border -- it list it in the genus Basilinna, as B.
xantusii. (I don't know when it was last included in Cynanthus, genus of the
Broad-billed Hummer.) The common English name which seems standard now is
Xantus' Hummingbird, not, Black-fronted Hummingbird. Howell & Webb cite for
Spanish "Colibri de Xantus," a name I'm sure no Mexican would recognize. I'm
sure most would call it simply "chuparosa."

The bird would appear to be an immature, possibly male. The illustration in
the new Western Peterson guide does not do it justice, as it is a rather
bright, though pale, cinnamon color on the entire underparts -- with some
observers noting a few glittering emerald feathers across the chest (hence
male?). The bill appears dark, unless in perfect light it might show some
reddish orange at the base of the lower mandible. This is not as it is shown
in Howell & Webb, where adult male and female are illustrated, both with red
bills (though the texts says the female's bill is dark above). It looked to
me rather like a female or immature Lucifer's, except for the reddish outer
tail feathers, the rather short, though slightly decurved, bill), and the
truly striking facial pattern, of broad whitish postocular stripe bordered
below by an elongate blackish ear patch. The wings are also quite blackish;
the crown, back, and rump a rather bright green. It fed as close as 2 meters
from us at times, too close to focus. When perched it often gave a series of
sharp tiik, tiik, tiik notes, reminiscent of a White-eared Hummer.

It first appeared last weekend (ca. Nov. 16), feeding on some fuchsias
growing in the garden (no feeders were up). At which the owners of the place
put up three feeders. It still feeds mostly on its own. It was not
identified until Thursday, Nov. 20.

I'm most grateful to all the BC birders for getting the word out and for
inviting us up to share this winter gem. However, we got rather lost after
leaving the ferry and driving into Gibsons. When you come to a major
intersection with signs that point to Gibsons Landing left, Upper Gibson
right, go more or less straight ahead through the intersection, then down
the hill to the water, where you intersect Gower Point Rd. Turn right onto
Gower Pt. Rd. and follow it as it makes first a 90 degree right, then a 90
degree left before leaving town heading west along the shore. Keep on and in
a few miles you'll pass 17th St. and the countdown to 2nd. Turn right, up
hill and park where you see all the cars, walk up the drive marked with the
saw horse, and enjoy.

Gene Hunn.