Hummingbird (?) identification

[Relleoms]

Thank you, all! I’ve emailed these photos to an ornithologist at ISU, so I’ll keep you posted if I get a reply!

 

[The Angry Hen]

This is my pointer finger. I’d say bigger than my thumb, and her eyes were closed. Apparently she wasn’t dead because she’s gone now...unless she has met some other misfortune!
View attachment 1912587

Hmm. Well, the mystery shall remain! I swore it had the colors of a Warbler- ones I normally don't see on a Hummingbird (they're not my best area in identification). I would certainly suggest feeding sugar water next Spring. Keep an eye out and very intriguing visitors may appear!
In the meantime, I hope the little hummer is somewhere safe.

 

[Relleoms]

This is one reply I received from a “professional” wildlife biologist:

“It appears to be a hummingbird that got caught in the rain. It probably dried off and flew away.”

Not terribly helpful

 

[The Angry Hen]

This is one reply I received from a “professional” wildlife biologist:

“It appears to be a hummingbird that got caught in the rain. It probably dried off and flew away.”

Not terribly helpful

Have you tried Cornell? I often learn a lot from their website.

 

[Bunnylady]

This is one reply I received from a “professional” wildlife biologist:

“It appears to be a hummingbird that got caught in the rain. It probably dried off and flew away.”

Not terribly helpful

No, but did you ask for more than an identification? They gave you that, and a bit more. The green color in a hummingbird's feathers isn't actually pigment, it's light refraction caused by the structure of the feather itself (as is the brilliant red of the male's throat patch; those feathers are actually pigmented black) . Water does its own thing with light, so soggy feathers wouldn't look green. If you ignore the lack of iridescence of the wet feathers, and look at the rest of the bird, you can see the field marks of your native Ruby-Throat. A wet hummingbird is going to be cold, and heavy, so effectively grounded; once it dried off and warmed up in the sun, flying off to get a meal would be the first thing on its agenda.

 

[Relleoms]

No, but did you ask for more than an identification? They gave you that, and a bit more. The green color in a hummingbird's feathers isn't actually pigment, it's light refraction caused by the structure of the feather itself (as is the brilliant red of the male's throat patch; those feathers are actually pigmented black) . Water does its own thing with light, so soggy feathers wouldn't look green. If you ignore the lack of iridescence of the wet feathers, and look at the rest of the bird, you can see the field marks of your native Ruby-Throat. A wet hummingbird is going to be cold, and heavy, so effectively grounded; once it dried off and warmed up in the sun, flying off to get a meal would be the first thing on its agenda.

Thank you. I was simply looking at the colors on the belly; I guess what I was looking for when I asked the professional was a species. This is a good explanation why it didn’t fit the “textbook” pictures.

 

[blackandtan]

Yah I thought for sure it was a ruby throated, looks juvenile to me and also a little bedraggled....she just needed a little nap!