Session 1

June 5, 2025

Birds Banded: 1
Station Count: >3 birds
Species Observed: Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird
Missed Captures: 1

The first hummingbird session at Paintrock Canyon Ranch did not go as planned! A morning drizzle and cold temperatures delayed our opening of traps until almost 0630. The cool temperatures persisted throughout the morning. The weather contributed to our low numbers of hummingbirds at the feeder station, but we cannot lay full blame on the conditions.

This is the first season of hummingbird banding at the ranch, and it will take time for all nearby birds to find the feeders. We hope that by mid-July, banders and guests will experience a dramatic shift in hummer activity. However, as with any new effort involving wildlife, patience is required! We may see a tweak in location if these little flying gems struggle to find the feeders. Our biggest note from the morning was a lack of male hummingbirds. We hope that when the noisy, peacocking males find the feeders, it will be the neon sign pointing out our station.

While we missed our first bird of the season with the net (a female Calliope Hummingbird), we did capture another bird later in the morning. The second bird was a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and she was a beauty. She was a healthy female that was about to lay an egg, appearing to be her second (and final) egg in her nest. What surprised us the most was the amount of yellow/orange pollen on the upper parts of her bill. She has clearly found a hidden cache of wildflowers, in addition to the feeders on the Paintrock. If we recapture her in future sessions or seasons, we will make sure to add a note about returned visits from our first banded hummingbird at the ranch!

Not often seen, the tail of the female Broad-tailed Hummingbird is stunning! The iridescent green in these outer tail feathers is not visible at this angle, but believe me, it is stunning. Come see for yourself!

For session two on June 14th, we hope to see better weather and a small influx of males. However, mid-June is often when feeder activity sees a substantial decrease, as females are busy incubating eggs, feeding nestlings, or defending nests. July will bring early migrants through the ranch, and we believe we will see three to four species appreciating the canyon and adjacent working lands, the same way human guests do.

We captured a short video of the banding of our first Paintrock hummingbird, which you can watch here!