Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufous

Description:

Adult males have reddish-brown back and tail, occasionally marked with green. The chin and throat a coppery color, white below. The female has a bronzy-green back with white underparts and a red-flecked throat. A small bird whose length is about 3 ¾ inches.

Voice:

Calls are like those of Anna’s Hummingbird: bzee-zee-zee, zeee-chppity-chup, or chip-chip.

Food:

Nectar is its most important food source for energy for the Rufous Hummingbird. It also consumes flies, ants, small beetles, tiny wasps and other small insects for a source of protein.

Nest:

Nest of downy plant fibers and moss, covered with lichens and held together with spider’s silk. They will produce two white eggs.

Habitat:

During breeding season, Rufous Hummingbirds are found in forests, on seed-tree harvest units, riparian shrub, and spruce-fir habitats. During the winter, it lives wherever flowers are present.

Range:

Rufous Hummingbird is found in western and coastal North America from March through August. Breeds in southeastern Alaska, southern Canada and Washington and Oregon.

Migration:

Moves north in spring along foothills as flowers bloom. Migrates into Pacific states in spring and summer. Winters in Mexico.

Comments:

This bird is an uncommon migrant in the park.

3/22/21/ok

Photo courtesy of Tom Grey