Rufous hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus
Identification Tips:
- Length: 3.5 inches
- Long, straight, thin bill
- Small hummingbird
Adult male:
- Rufous face, back, flanks, rump, and tail
- Occasionally variants occur with variably greenish backs and crowns
- Bright orange-red gorget
- White breast
Female/Immature:
- Green back and crown
- White underparts
- White throat variably marked with dark streaks (immatures)
or central group of red spots (adult females)
- Rufous wash on flanks
- Immature males similar to adult female but central tail feathers
like adult male (rufous with dark tips)
- Dark tail with rufous at the bases of the retrices, and white
tips on the outer three retrices
Similar species:
Adult males can be confused only with Allen's
Hummingbird. Rufous-backed males are certainly Rufous
Hummingbirds, but care should be taken as some Rufous have
variable amounts of green on the back and crown. Females and
immatures are easily identified as a Selasphorus by the rufous in
the tail. Female and immature Broad-tailed Hummingbirds have
less rufous on the inner tail feathers, whitish, not rusty undertail
coverts and more blue-green backs, as well as being larger with
different calls. Female and immature Calliope Hummingbirds
are smaller with shorter bills and less rusty backs. Rufous and
Allen's females and immatures are inseparable in the field.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.