Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird is among the most familiar and widespread hummingbirds across much of Central America and northern South America, at home in gardens as readily as in wilder habitats. Adults are bright metallic green above and on the throat and upper breast, with a warm rufous-cinnamon tail that gives the species its name, most visible when the bird fans its tail in flight or while perched.

The bill is fairly straight and mostly reddish-pink with a black tip, a useful field mark shared by several Amazilia hummingbirds. Common, adaptable, and often the default hummingbird species at feeders throughout its range, it is frequently the first hummingbird encountered by visitors to Central American gardens and lodges.

Key field marks

• Iridescent green upperparts, throat, and upper breast
• Rufous-cinnamon tail, conspicuous especially in flight
• Reddish-pink bill with a black tip
• Grayish to whitish lower belly in some individuals

Similar species

• Cinnamon Hummingbird has a fully cinnamon-buff body rather than a green body with just a rufous tail.
• Buff-bellied Hummingbird (further north) is similar but paler bellied and generally does not overlap in range.
• Other Amazilia hummingbirds can be similar but the combination of green body, rufous tail, and reddish black-tipped bill is diagnostic across most of its range.

Habitat

Highly adaptable, found in forest edges, second growth, plantations, parks, and gardens, from lowlands into foothills.

Range

Widespread from Mexico south through Central America into Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

Migration

Resident and non-migratory, with some local movement possible.

Behavior

Bold, territorial, and often the most numerous hummingbird at a given site, aggressively defending flowering shrubs and feeders from rivals.

Voice

A sharp, chattering "tik" or "chip" call, often repeated persistently, along with buzzy chase calls during territorial disputes.

Feeding

Feeds on nectar from a wide variety of flowering plants and readily visits sugar-water feeders, supplementing its diet with small insects caught in flight.

Nesting

Builds a small cup nest of plant down and spider web, often on a low horizontal branch; the female incubates the typical clutch of 2 white eggs alone.