Quick Answer
No, male hummingbirds are not born with red throats. The red coloring on a male hummingbird’s throat comes from iridescent feathers that grow in as the bird matures. When a male hummingbird hatches, its throat is gray. Over time, the gray baby feathers are replaced by red adult feathers. This process is completed when the bird reaches sexual maturity.
Do Baby Male Hummingbirds Have Red Throats?
When a male ruby-throated hummingbird hatches from its egg, its throat is a plain gray color. It does not yet have any of the brilliant, shimmery red gorget feathers it will later develop as an adult. The hatchling is covered in pale gray down.
At this stage, male and female hummingbird hatchlings look almost identical. There is no easy way to distinguish males from females. Once the hatchling begins growing its first true feathers, males can be identified by having some temporary dusky spotting on the throat. However, the red coloration is still not present.
As the juvenile male hummingbird matures over the next few months, this dusky spotting molts away. It is replaced by more distinct spotting in a reddish-brown color. By the time the bird fledges and leaves the nest, its throat will show significant red spotting. Yet the full red gorget is still incomplete at this point.
It is not until the male ruby-throated hummingbird reaches approximately one year of age that the throat becomes completely filled in with bright red feathers. When the final adult molt is complete, this process results in the dazzling, metallic ruby-red throat for which these hummingbirds are named.
In summary, while adult male ruby-throated hummingbirds have brilliant red throats, new hatchlings have plain gray throats. The red color develops gradually before full maturity.
When Does the Red Throat Appear?
The development of red throat feathers in male ruby-throated hummingbirds happens in distinct stages:
Hatchling (0-2 weeks): Plain gray down covers body. No red coloration in throat.
Nestling (2 weeks to 1 month): Gray baby feathers grow in. Males may show some dusky spotting in throat.
Fledgling (1-3 months): Dusky throat spotting molts away. More distinct red-brown spotting becomes visible.
Juvenile (3-6 months): Throat continues filling in with red-brown spotting. Gorget is incomplete.
Subadult (6-12 months): Additional molts fill in more red feathers. Gorget nearly complete.
Adult (1+ years): Full molt results in complete red throat gorget.
The length of time to reach maturity varies between individual birds. But most males achieve their full red throats by their first breeding season, which aligns with one year of age. The red throat is important for attracting females during courtship displays.
Why Do Males Have Red Throats?
In most hummingbird species, only the adult males display bright, vivid plumage. This is the result of sexual selection pressure over many generations. Females evolved to prefer males with the most eye-catching feathers because it indicated fitness.
Ruby-throated hummingbird males likely developed their red gorgets for the following evolutionary advantages:
Attracting mates: The flashing red throat catches a female’s attention and draws her eye during courtship.
Quality signal: A vibrant red throat demonstrates good health and nutrition to prospective mates.
Competition: The red throat establishes dominance over other males in the breeding territory.
This explanation is supported by the fact other hummingbird species have independently evolved extravagant male plumage for similar purposes in their own ecologies. The magnificent red throat of the ruby-throat specifically evolved to meet the needs of this species.
How Do Hummingbirds Get Their Colors?
Hummingbird feathers contain two types of color pigment: melanins and carotenoids.
Melanins produce darker blacks, browns, and grays. Carotenoids are responsible for bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Both pigments are acquired through the bird’s diet.
In addition to pigments, hummingbird feathers also have structural coloration. Tiny air bubbles and melanin granules in feathers cause light to refract into iridescent, metallic hues. This effect amplifies the gorget’s brilliance.
Molting is the process by which old worn feathers are replaced. Before molting, pigments accumulate in the feathers. The combination of accumulated pigments and structural coloration brings out the full vibrancy of the mature red throat.
Do Females Have Red Throats?
In most hummingbird species, only adult males have showy plumage. Females retain more camouflaged, cryptic feathers that allow them to blend in while incubating eggs.
Adult female ruby-throated hummingbirds lack any red throat coloring. Their throats are predominantly white with some dusky spotting that provides concealment.
Juvenile males and females of many hummingbird species appear almost identical. It is only during maturity that dramatic sexual dimorphism emerges in features like the male’s red gorget.
This divergence suggests evolutionary pressures selected for brighter males to perform courtship displays. Drab female plumage remained to provide protection while nesting.
How Bright is the Red Throat?
The red throat of a ruby-throated hummingbird is incredibly vibrant. The feathers have a luminous, almost metallic sheen.
When sunlight hits the gorget, it can appear to glow as the iridescent feathers flash brightly. The red throat is so radiant that it often looks artificially enhanced or painted on.
In good lighting, the ruby-throated hummingbird’s throat can appear as bright and vivid red as a stop sign or traffic light. This makes it one of the most intense and dazzling plumage displays in North American bird species.
A hummingbird’s apparent throat color may shift slightly based on viewing angle. But the dominant hue remains an intense, luminous red when the light fully strikes the iridescent feathers.
How Did the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Get Its Name?
The ruby-throated hummingbird was given its common name in 1815 by George Ord, a renowned American naturalist and ornithologist.
Upon closely examining a specimen, Ord was struck by its small size and the male’s vivid red throat. In his notes, he wrote that the gorget appeared “as a splendid ruby set in enamel.”
Ord compared the hummingbird’s throat to a precious red gemstone cut from ruby crystal. As a result, he coined the name “ruby-throated hummingbird” to describe the species.
The scientific name is Archilochus colubris. Archilochus refers to a small 6th century Greek poet, linking the bird’s tiny stature to the poet’s short lyrical verses. Colubris derives from the Latin term for snake or serpent, an allusion to the hummingbird’s fluid flight.
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Characteristics
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Size | 3 to 4 inches long |
Wingspan | 3.5 inches |
Weight | 2 to 6 grams |
Plumage | Iridescent green back. White breast. Red gorget on adult male. |
Sexual Dimorphism | Adult males have vivid red throats. Females have white throats with dusky spots. |
Migration | Summers in most of eastern North America. Winters in Florida and Mexico. |
Habitat | Forests, gardens, meadows |
Diet | Nectar, tree sap, small insects |
Lifespan | 3 to 5 years in wild |
Conservation Status | Least Concern |
Interesting Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Facts
- Ruby-throated hummingbirds beat their wings up to 53 times per second.
- They have the fastest wingbeat of any North American bird.
- Hummingbirds can fly 25-30 miles per hour.
- They can hover in midair by rapidly flapping their wings backwards and forwards.
- Hummingbirds have very short legs that are only used for perching.
- They drink nectar using a long, specially adapted tongue.
- The ruby-throated hummingbird migrates 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico.
- Males perform aerial courtship displays by diving up to 100 feet before rapidly ascending.
- Nests are made from spider silk and lichen and only measure 1.5 inches across.
- Ruby-throated hummingbirds get their red color from carotenoid pigments in foods like insects and nectar.
Conclusion
In summary, male ruby-throated hummingbirds do not have red throats when they are born. The vibrant red gorget feathers develop gradually as the birds mature over their first year.
Female hummingbirds retain a cryptic white and gray throat. Dazzling red plumage evolved in males to attract mates. Iridescent structural colors amplify the visual display.
The red throat of the ruby-throated hummingbird sets it apart from other North American species. This iconic flash of color inspired its common name and reflects the species’ unique natural history.