WarrenHatch Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 My friend grabbed this shot last evening near Dover, Delaware. It could just be the position of the camera and her approach to the Beebalm, but it looks like her belly is protruding. Can anyone tell me if this is a pregnant Ruby-throated Hummingbird? http://www.warrenhatch.net/whatbird/whatbird/photos/Ruby-throated_RC.jpg Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akandula Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Birds are not mammals, therefore they do not get pregnant. Birds lay eggs, and they don't carry their eggs before laying for long. So I can't tell if this hummingbird has a fertilized egg or if its feathers are just fluffed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aveschapines Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 I don't really know either, but I wonder if it's muscles and an unusual body position creating that effect. I don't think I've ever heard of birds getting noticeable bulges when they are carrying eggs, except in the case of egg binding - when the egg can't be expelled, which is a serious health issue for the female bird. I wish there were other pictures to see if the bulge is real or just an effect of the bird's position at the time of the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenHatch Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 Thanks akandula & Aveschapines. You've been incredibly helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 It looks like it is covering it's feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) I would expect a posture like this if the bird had just finished approaching the flower. Her head and neck may have stopped but inertia has her lower body still going forward. That's 100% pure Grade A speculation; don't accept anything less! Edited June 14, 2020 by Charlie Spencer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Leukering Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 The bird might easily have an egg in its oviduct. Eggs are not created in the few seconds or minutes before they are laid. Single eggs represent a substantial percentage of a female bird's body mass and they take time to produce. Granted, nowhere near the amount of time for a placental mammalian youngster to reach that comparative size. Though I've never seen this, even in the hand, though I've done very little breeding-season banding, it seems a plausible reason for the obvious bulge. Unlike with Arnie, it might be a tumor. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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