Subject: Xantus' Hummer
Date: Feb 10 13:47:05 1999
From: Richard E. Johnson - johnsonre at wsu.edu
>Gene Hunn writes:
First, though Xantus' Hummers are not migratory, the Rufous
>Hummer, which is, of course, routinely makes a much longer trip, having been
>noted zipping past a climbing party at 17,000 feet on Mt. Logan on it's way
>north from southern Mexico. So, the little bugger could have made the trip
>if he/she had been so inclined.
But it most probably would NOT have been able to do it. Hummers that
migrate, build up fat before each migratory jump, and then burn it in
flight. It seems very unlikely that species that don't migrate would build
up such premigratory fat. And if they didn't, they could NOT have made the
trip (on their own), regardless of how strong their personal inclination to
thrill birders by appearing in Gibson! Mere wishes/inclinations don't
produce the necessary physiological adaptations.
Dick Johnson
Curator, Conner Museum
Washington State University
Pullman, WA