Hummingbird Identification

I thought I would end the hummingbird season with some helpful hints on identifying the different species. Obviously, the males are much easier to identify than the females because of their gorgets.

1. Color of the Bill: If the bill is red, then it can only be one of five species: Violet Crowned, Berylline, Buff Bellied, Broad Billed, and White Eared. In the US the Buff Bellied is the only one found in Texas; and the other four are only found in Southern Arizona.
2. Size: The Plain Capped Starthroat, Blue Throat, and Magnificent stand out because of their size: 5 to 5 1/4 inches. For all others, size is not use as useful. 
3. Shape of Bill: The Lucifer has a distinctly long and significantly curved bill. It is unmistakeable. For all others, the bill shape is only a help when you can clearly see the bill from the side. Even then it is not the best way to identify a species. 
4. White Stripes on the Head: Plain Capped Starthroat, White Eared, and Blue Throat are the only hummers with distinct white stripes below and/or above the eye. The Plain Capped Starthroat has a wide stripe below the eye and a thinner "lightning bolt" stripe above the ear; the White Eared has a wide stripe above the eye (the female has a very small stripe below the eye as well); and the Blue Throat has a long narrow white stripe above the eye and a small narrow white stripe below the eye.
5. Belly color: The Violet Crowned's chin, neck, and breast are all pure white. It is easily visible and easy distinguishable from all other hummers.  The Green Violet Eared (which I have never seen), the Berylline, Broad Billed, White Eared, and Magnificent all have very dark bellies. This is even true of the Green Eared, Beryline, Buff Bellied females. The Blue Throat's is completely grey. Lucifer, Broad Tail, and Calliope have buff color under the wings extending somewhat into the belly. Allen's and Rufous have orange bellies which make them easy to distinguish from all other hummers. Since Allen's and Rufous ranges overlap on the California coast distinguishing one from another is very difficult, though.
6. Wing Color: The Berylline has a rufous wings, as does the Rufous and Allen's to a lesser extent. Wing color on all other hummers is indistinguishable.
7. Gorget: Gorgets are a great help in identifying the males. Their colors can change with the light, so you must see them when the color is distinguishable. The magenta colored gorget on the Lucifer is the longest of any hummer (by far). The purple gorget on the Costa's is long and flared which makes it easily distinguishable from all others. Anna's not only has a red throat but a red crown as well making it easily distinguishable. The Calliope's gorget is rosy colored but streaked, not full. The Magnificent has a bright (light) green gorget and a clearly visible purple crown making it easy to identify. The Blue Throat has a blue gorget. Gorgets on the other hummers aren't as much help. 
8. Central Patch: Anna's females have a red central patch. Allen's and Rufous females have orange central spots (not nearly as large as in the Anna's). Those are the only real distinctive throats of females. 

Here then are the 15 hummers I have photographed:

Anna's

Berylline

Black Chin

Blue Throat

Broad Billed

Broad Tailed

Calliope

Costa's

Lucifer

Magnificent

Plain Capped Starthroat

Ruby Throated

Rufous

Violet Crowned

White Eared