Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)

The Rufous Hummingbird (RUHU) is 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 “ long. It is fairly numerous and widespread from lowland gardens to mountain meadows.

The male is all orange-brown (rufous) except for a red iridescent throat and white collar. The male’s gorget (throat) most often appears black. The brilliant red reflections are only seen at favorable angles. The female has green upperparts, orange-brown tail and side, a white throat and central belly, and iridescent dots on the throat. The female cannot be distinguished from female Allen’s Hummingbirds in the field.

The RUHU’s call is a "chup" note, often given in a series. Its chase note is "zeee-chuppity-chup".

In the display flight, the male flies before the female in a U-shaped, or sometimes complete oval, pattern. The male flies up with its back to the female and dives with the gorget facing her. The whining note made at the bottom of the dive is caused by air rushing through the wing feathers.

The RUHU feeds on nectar, insects, spiders, sap from holes made by sapsuckers, and also is a frequent visitor to hummingbird feeders.

The nest is placed on a downward-sloping limb of a tree or shrub. It usually is between 1 to 15 ft. off the ground. The nest is made of plant down, moss, leaves, shredded bark amd plant fibers. It is bound with spider’s silk and lined with plant down. The female lays two white eggs. Incubation is 12-14 days and the young fledge 20 days after hatching. There is usually one brood, but occasionally two.

During migration, it defends temporary feeding territories and is the most aggressive of all hummingbirds. The RUHU has the longest migration route of any North American hummingbird. It flies up the Pacific coast in spring and down the Rocky Mountains after breeding, to winter in Mexico.

All hummingbirds are important pollinators of flowers. They especially like red tubular flowers that are not usually pollinated by insects.