People visit Missouri for many reasons. Some visitors travel here for their fall vacations when they can enjoy the changing of the fall foliage with something as simple as taking a scenic drive through the countryside. Other reasons to vacation in Missouri can include the many festivals that occur each year, stopping in at an award-winning winery to sample the local wines or to enjoy a round of golf at one of the many golf courses found throughout the state. And of course, who could forget the shows that are associated with Branson, Missouri? But, how many of these visitors are aware of the shows that occur each year from April to September? It is during these months that the tiniest birds make their appearance in Missouri. When the hummingbirds choose to stay and visit, if only for a short time and if the bird watcher is lucky, they will be privy to a show specially choreographed by these beautiful winged marvels.
Visitors and residents of Missouri have the opportunity to enjoy a stay from at least six species of hummingbirds annually during their spring migration. These six species are the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Rufous Hummingbird, the Anna’s Hummingbird, the Calliope Hummingbird, the Green Violet-ear hummingbird and the Black-chinned Hummingbird. With this many species of hummingbirds being documented in Missouri, it may be an interesting feat to identify which ones are which.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds get their name from the ruby red throat that is the identifying feature of the male of this species. An emerald green colored back and a forked tail are also identifying features of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The female Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not as identifiable as the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, but she does have an emerald green colored back, much like her male counterpart, her breast and her throat are both white and she has rounded, white-tipped tail feathers.
Rufous Hummingbirds get their name from the rufous, or rusty color of the crown, tail and sides of the male and the sides and base color of the tail feathers of the female. Not only does the male Rufous Hummingbird have a rufous crown, tail and both sides, it also has a back that is rufous, green or a combination of both. It also has a bright orange-red throat and a white breast to help separate it from other species of hummingbirds in Missouri. The female Rufous Hummingbird also has the same white breast as the male, but it also has a green back and crown, a streaked throat, and rufous colored tail feathers with white tips.
Anna’s Hummingbirds do not get there name from any outstanding features that can be used to identify them or separate them from the other species of hummingbirds that may be in the same area. But this species of hummingbirds does have features that can be used to identify it. The male has gray feathers covering its breast, dark rose-red feathers covering its throat and crown and metallic green feathers covering its back. The female has lighter gray feathers covering its breast, green feathers covering its back, white and red feathers covering its throat and it has white tipped tail feathers.
Calliope Hummingbirds are similar to the Anna’s Hummingbird in that they are not name for any specific identifiable feature either. Perhaps their most noticeable feature is their size. These hummingbirds are the smallest hummingbirds in Missouri, with males that weigh about 2.5 grams and females that weigh about 2.8 grams. Even though size is one factor that can be observed when identifying this hummingbird species, it is not the only one. Metallic green backs and crowns as well as purple rays or streaks running up and down their white throats can help a bird watcher identify the males of this species. Their green backs and crowns, their buff sides, the dark streaks on their white throats and their white-tipped tail feathers, can help hummingbird enthusiasts or bird watchers identify the females of this species.
Green violet-eared Hummingbirds are another species of hummingbirds in Missouri that could possibly be identified by the feature that gives them their name, their violet ear-patch and their green throat. This species could also be identified by their size. This species is one of the largest species in North America, usually weighing between 5 and 6 grams. Besides size, other identifying features include a black, curved bill, a broad tail that is blue with a black band toward the end, a throat that is green and of course, the violet ear-patch.
Black-chinned Hummingbirds are one more species of hummingbirds in Missouri that can be identified by their name, or at least the male of this species can because he has a black chin. But other features this male has other than its black chin are a purple throat, short dark tail as well as a green back and crown. The female Black-chinned Hummingbird is different from its male counterpart in that it has a white chin instead of a black chin and its throat is white with some dark streaking on the throat. Like the male of this species, the female also has a green back and crown and she has a dark tail, but her tail has white tips on the outer tail feathers, which makes her a little different from other hummingbirds.
