In a message dated 10/9/2005 11:00:36 AM Alaskan Standard Time,
tweeters-request at mailman1.u.washington.edu writes:

Has anyone seen this particular birth defect before, and what do you experts
feel his chances for survival are? Unable to help ourselves, we call him
"The Tongue."




Janeanne & Tweeters,

It sounds like we observed this very thing (un-retractable tongue) on a
Costa's Hummingbirds this past winter -- the first state record for Idaho.
Interestingly, the bird did NOT have this problem until the last 3 weeks or so of
it's stay in southwestern Idaho (which ran from 14 October 2004 - 26 January
2005) -- so it clearly wasn't a birth defect. The bird appeared healthy and
robust when last encountered, even after having this problem for about 2-3
weeks. We have no idea what caused it and are interested in learning more.
This Costa's was banded, so on the very small chance that it is encountered
elsewhere, we'll know it survived. Because our bird survived so long already
through an Idaho winter (relatively mild as it was), I have no evidence that
the tongue issue is life-threatening, although logic would suggest otherwise.
Whether or not it will remedy itself is another question entirely.

A photo of this tongue-protrusion is posted here:

_http://www.trochilids.com/Idaho/costas/costas_comp.html_
(http://www.trochilids.com/Idaho/costas/costas_comp.html)

Best,

--Stacy Jon Peterson
20252 Lucas Ave
Eagle River, AK 99577
Stacy at trochilids.com
http://www.trochilids.com