I have a nectar bar that I use 1 part sugar to 4 parts water, and even though
it's November, we still see the Hummingbirds coming, however they seem to have changed from green to brown. Am I just imagining this? Or is this what is happening?

Thanks

Petey

The first thing that comes to mind would be departed Ruby-throats have been replaced by wintering Rufous Hummingbirds. Colors haven't changed. Birds have changed. Where are you located?


Adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Young male Rufous Hummingbird


Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)

We live in Seattle, Washington.

It's Thanksgiving today, and I saw 2 more brown hummingbirds at the feeder
today.

In the Summer they were green.

Thanks

In Seattle, a Rufous Hummingbird (which is the first thing most of us think of when we hear "brown") wouldn't be out of place in the summer, but I think they would mostly have left that area by now. That species breeds from northern California all the way up to Alaska, so Seattle's right in the middle of its range. Rufous turn up in the winter across the country, though, so...

Your "green" birds are more likely Anna's Hummingbirds, which are resident year-round in Seattle (or so my birder friends there tell me).

But back to your original question: hummingbirds don't change colors "seasonally"; most North American species do have separate plumages for males and females, and immature males most often resemble the females, changing into their adult male plumage over their first winter. So a young male Rufous could be going from predominantly green to predominantly brown; the question is whether that's what you have on hand.

In searching the net, it looks like November is late for Rufous in Washington. I notice in the Peterson guide, Sheri's map does show extralimital winter sightings in the Seattle area so this sighting may be noteable. Photographs are always good for documentation sake.

Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)