As part of Operation RubyThroat , hummingbirds banded at locations other than Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History may or may not get color-marked. However, each August for "Hummingbird Mornings" at other locations in the eastern U.S., RTHU may be banded and marked on the upper breast and throat with other colors, including BLACK, BROWN , RED , or PURPLE . (Hummingbirds with bright orange or yellow throats are probably carrying pollen.)

In addition, RTHU banded on our winter research site in Costa Rica are color-marked in January and February with BRIGHT BLUE (left) . These birds may retain color long enough to be seen during spring migration by observers in the southern U.S.

Any sightings of color-marked birds anywhere in North or Central America should be reported immediately to the Bird Banding Lab at 1-800-327-BAND and to Operation RubyThroat via Bill Hilton Jr.

For examples of how color-marking Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) has proved valuable, go to the next section.



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