Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird At A Blooming Snowberry

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird sipping nectar from a snowberry – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I’ve mentioned before that I have taken more photos of male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds than females and that I get excited when I have the opportunity to photograph them.

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbirds do all the nest building, incubating, feeding and rearing of their young while they are here during their breeding season. The females are not as flashy as the males and they blend into their habitat more easily.

The female Broad-tailed Hummingbird I found yesterday caught my eyes because I saw her back sparkle in the morning light for a split second. I was happy that she hovered in front of the snowberry flowers long enough for me to take a few photos of her.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird female feeding on snowberry nectar – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

This female Broad-tailed Hummingbird hovered around the blooming snowberry bush long enough for me take nearly 180 photos of her sipping the nectar from the pale pink, bell-shaped flowers.

The little female hummingbird seemed to be feeding in hyper-drive mode, perhaps she had young chicks in her nest that she needed to get back to.

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird hovering at a blooming snowberry bush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Roundleaf Snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius) bushes are in full bloom at some elevations of the Wasatch Mountains right now. I’ll be paying close attention to each bush when I am in the high country to see if I can spot another female Broad-tailed Hummingbird hovering among the leaves and flowers.

Life is good. Stay safe.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Broad-tailed Hummingbird photos plus facts and information about this species.