Selasphorus henshawi

This is a species which I failed to distinguish from the true S. rufus (Gm.) in my previous works, as also have many other writers on Humming-birds.

Mr. H. W. Henshaw, in a paper published in the ‘Bulletin’ of the Nuttall Ornithological Club of July 1877, pointed out that under the name of Selasphorus rufus a distinct bird, differing in having the tail-feathers next to the centre ones pointed and notched, occurred in California; and he proposed to call this new form S. alleni, after Mr. C. A. Allen, of Nicasio in California. A good account of the habits and distribution is given in Mr. Henshaw’s paper; but in the same volume of the ‘Bulletin’ Mr. D. G. Elliot has shown that it is the bird with the pointed tail-feathers which is the true S. rufus of Gmelin, and consequently the species with the notch im the tail-feathers which requires a new title; and this Mr. Elliot conferred on the species by naming it Selasphorus henshawi. I refer my readers for a full account of the species to the article above referred to, and I give a copy of Mr. Elliot’s description of S. henshawi.

Male. Top of head metallic green; upper parts cinnamon; but some specimens have green feathers intermixed with the rufous ones on the back. Throat metallic-orange, not brilliant as in the other species. Breast and centre of abdomen white; flanks and under tail-coverts rufous. Tail rufous, tipped with dark brown; feathers pointed at tip, median pair broad; lateral ones growing narrower to the outermost, which is the most attenuated. On the inner web, near the tip of the rectrices next.the median pair, is a well developed notch. Bill black. Total length 3\(\frac{1}{4}\) inches, wing 1\(\frac{1}{2}\), tail 1\(\frac{3}{8}\), culmen \(\frac{5}{8}\).

Female. Entire upper parts shining grass-green, dullest on the crown. Throat white, spotted with brown. Underparts white, washed with rufous on the breast and flanks. Under tail-coverts buff. Median rectrices green; lateral ones rufous at base, then a band of metallic green, succeeded by a subterminal broad black bar, and tips white. Bill black. Total length 3\(\frac{1}{2}\) inches, wing 1\(\frac{7}{8}\), tail 1\(\frac{1}{2}\), culmen \(\frac{5}{8}\). Young males are similar to the females, with a few metallie spots on the throat.

The home of this species is stated to be from Mexico northwards along the Pacific coast to Sitka.

References

More hummingbirds in the genus Selasphorus

• Selasphorus rufus Rufous Flame-bearer
• Selasphorus Scintilla Little Flame-bearer
• Selasphorus Floresii Floresi’s Flamebearer
• Selasphorus platycercus Broad-tailed Flame-bearer
• Selasphorus torridus Torrid Flame-bearer
• Selasphorus ardens Salvin’s Flame-bearer
• Selasphorus flammula Rosy-throated Flame-bearer