General

Rufous Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird, bright rufous-brown overall with white breast and ear patch, red-orange throat, and green shoulders. Rounded tail is rufous with black edges. Some males show green on back and head. Female has green upperparts, rufous sides and undertail, and white breast and belly. Throat is gray and white mottled with an orange-red spot, tail is rufous, black, and green with white-tipped outer tail feathers; very difficult to distinguish from female Allen’s Hummingbird. Juvenile resembles female but has white throat. Subadult male also resembles female but has rufous mask and more rufous on back and head.

Range and Habitat

Rufous Hummingbird: Breeds from southeastern Alaska, British Columbia, southwestern Alberta, and western Montana south to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and northern California. Spends winters mainly in Mexico and occurs in small numbers along the Gulf Coast during migration and in winter. Preferred habitats include forests, riparian shrub, lowland stream bottoms, foothill brushlands, coasts, and high-mountain meadows.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"zeee"

Interesting Facts

 The Rufous Hummingbird has the longest migration route of all North American hummingbirds.

 With sufficient food and shelter, this species has been known to survive in temperatures well below freezing.

 This bird has an excellent memory for location. They have been observed investigating where an absent feeder was located the previous year.

 A group of hummingbirds has many collective nouns, including a “bouquet", "glittering", "hover", "shimmer", and "tune” of hummingbirds.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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