Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus
Also known as: Ruff-Necked Humming-Bird
About This Species
A small, fast-flying hummingbird of western North America, found in mountain meadows, forest edges and gardens with nectar-rich flowers, and known for aggressively defending feeding territories. Males show a striking iridescent orange-red throat patch that flashes in direct sunlight, and their diving display flights are a distinctive courtship sight. Spring migration north and again in summer as birds head south along the Pacific coast and Rockies are the best times to see concentrations at flowers or feeders.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Because this species is classified as Near Threatened due to population declines linked to habitat loss along its migratory corridor, extra care is warranted: watch from a stationary position near feeders or flowers rather than approaching an individual bird directly.
- In the United States and Canada it is protected under migratory bird treaty legislation, so nests, eggs and birds must not be disturbed or handled.
- If maintaining feeders to attract it, clean them regularly, since contaminated sugar water can spread disease through concentrated hummingbird populations.
NTAvesApodiformesTrochilidae
Seasonal Activity
916,608 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
Photo
(c) Ad Konings, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ad Konings
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.