Rufous Hummingbird

The Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is the ultimate featherweight champion of the avian world. Renowned for its extraordinary aggressiveness and unparalleled migratory feats, this tiny bird packs a massive personality into a body weighing less than a nickel. It is celebrated for its nesting journey that stretches further north than any other hummingbird, breeding as far north as south-central Alaska. Despite their diminutive size, they are incredibly hardy and resilient, though their global populations have faced a significant downward trend in recent decades.

Adult males are unmistakable when fully mature, boasting a brilliant, glowing cinnamon-rufous back, flanks, and tail. This rich coppery plumage contrasts beautifully with a clean white chest band and a spectacular, fiery iridescent red-orange gorget (throat patch). Note that a small percentage (about 5-10%) of males can display varying amounts of green on their backs, occasionally causing confusion with other species.

Females and immatures are more challenging to identify. They feature an iridescent bronze-green back, warm rufous-washed flanks, and a white throat often stippled with bronze-green spots or a small, central patch of bright orange-red feathers. Their tails have a rufous base, a dark subterminal band, and prominent white tips.

Similar Species:

• Allen's Hummingbird: This is the primary lookalike. Adult male Allen's Hummingbirds consistently have a solid green back and a rufous rump. Distinguishing green-backed male Rufous Hummingbirds or females/immatures of the two species in the field is notoriously difficult and often requires high-resolution photos of the outer tail feathers (R5 is noticeably narrower on the Allen's Hummingbird).

During the nesting season, the Rufous Hummingbird frequents open areas, coniferous forest edges, montane meadows, parks, orchards, and residential gardens from the Pacific Northwest up through western Canada and Alaska.

Their migration is one of the most remarkable seasonal journeys of any North American bird, following a grand loop. In spring, they travel northward along the Pacific Flyway, coinciding with early spring blooms along the West Coast. In late summer and fall, they return south via the Rocky Mountains, taking advantage of the high-altitude wildflower blooms of the alpine meadows.

They winter primarily in the pine-oak woodlands, scrublands, and residential areas of Mexico. Increasingly, a small but consistent portion of the population winters along the Gulf Coast and southeastern United States.

Rufous Hummingbirds are famous for being exceptionally pugnacious. They aggressively defend flower patches and backyard feeders from all intruders, relentlessly chasing away much larger hummingbirds, bumblebees, and even songbirds several times their size.

Feeding: They feed by hovering to probe flowers for nectar, using a highly specialized, rapidly lapping tongue. To satisfy their protein needs, they also hunt small insects and spiders, catching them mid-air or gleaning them from spiderwebs and foliage.

Vocalizations & Sound: Their wings produce a highly distinct, high-pitched metallic whine during flight, which serves as an auditory warning to rivals. Their actual vocalizations consist of sharp, buzzy chatter, wheezy squeaks, and a sharp "zrrr-t" call made during territorial chases.

Nesting: The male performs a dramatic J-shaped courtship dive to attract females. Once mated, the female builds a highly insulated cup nest made of bud scales, plant down, and spider silk, beautifully camouflaged on the exterior with moss and lichen. She typically lays a clutch of two tiny white eggs, which she incubates and rears entirely on her own.