It almost looks like he/she doesnt have any wing feathers but it doesnt have any problem flying . Is it because its so young that the coloring isnt there. Ive looked at this over and over , I just havent seen one look this way. Am I just seeing things, trick photography, lighting, what is going on.



Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

That sure is a odd looking bird Steve. I've never seen one with such a speckeld breast. Must of just came out of the nest. Great photo of it, by the way.

birdlegs
zone 5
S.E. Lower MI.

Sandy--- Ive heard other people talk about nest markings , maybe thats what it is , I myself have just not seen it before on any photos Ive ever taken. Im sure someone will tune in and tell me what it is.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

Steve,

Maybe he / she's been in some fights? I know some hummers look more beat up than others. Or he could be just molting. Well, he / she should be able to replace those feathers.

Im still waiting for someone in the know who has seen this before tell what this is. Is it nest markings or is molting , first one Ive seen like this that I have a photo of.

Steve
Martinsville, In
Heat zone 6
Sunset zone 35

I think she's just molting. Some of mine are starting to look like that, too, and it's helping me tell them apart as individuals (at least on a given day).

I checked a reliable reference, (Birds of North America On Line) and it says body molt may start as early as late June in adult females. The rest of the molt of their flight feathers doesn't finish up until they are on their wintering grounds. The entire molting process can take 5-6 months.

From the pictures I've seen of nest marks, and from the ones I've seen on my birds, there has to be more than just that going on with your bird. In fact, she doesn't seem to have that much of a nest mark at all compared with some of my birds.