Family Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
Taxonomy
Trochilus rufus
J. F. Gmelin
, 1788,Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island, Canada
.Coastal SE Alaska S through SW Canada (British Columbia, W Alberta) to NW USA (Washington, N Idaho and extreme W Montana to N California). Winters in S California, throughout Mexico (except NC) and along Gulf coast of USA.
Descriptive notes
c. 8·5 cm; 2·9–3·9 g. Male has medium-short, straight black bill; crown bronze or bronze-green, remaining upperparts rufous, occasionally with a few green feathers on the back; throat iridescent scarlet-bronze to golden green, remaining underparts white on breast changing to rufous on lower belly; tail rounded, rufous above with black tips on central two pairs of rectrices, outer 3 pairs with black outer webs and dark greyish tips. Female is bronze-green on head and back; throat feathers often tipped with iridescent bronze, sometimes resulting in a large iridescent patch, rest of underparts including chin are dull white; central rectrices metallic green, outer rectrices rufous, subterminally green and black, tipped white. Immature resembles adult female.
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Voice
Apparently no song is used in courtship or territory defence. Display-flight describes an oval or J-shape, during which wings make a high-pitched, trilled buzzing sound and, at the foot of the dive, the tail-feathers produce a loud stuttering, Gallinago-like, bleating noise “ch-ch-ch-ch-chrrr”. Also during normal flight, the rattling wing noise (c. 8–10 kHz) is heard. Calls include dull “chup” notes, often doubled, or in short chatters. Chase calls typically 2–3 buzzy reeling notes followed by twittering calls “zrreee-zzreee-zrreee-chupity-chup”.
Habitat
Found typically in cool climates; in breeding range primarily in second growth forests; also frequent clearings and brushy areas where food flowers grow. Winter range is characterized by a wide variety of habitats, ranging from thorn forest and scrubland to mixed pine-oak-juniper forest. During migration frequents disturbed areas where food plants generally abundant.
Food and feeding
Nectar from several plant species, and small arthropods. Flowers visited for nectar include Agave, Aquilegia, Arbutus, Castilleja, Cleome, Epilobium, Linaria, Opuntia, Ribes, Rubus and Scrophularia. Might also feed on sap from species such as alder (Alnus) and willow (Salix) through holes made by woodpeckers. Arthropods taken are primarily insects such as dipteran flies (Anisopodidae, Chironomidae) and Hemiptera (Aleyrodidae), and small spiders.
Breeding
Season likely timed with flowering of food plants. Nests are constructed in a wide variety of shrubs and trees; small nesting colonies have been reported. Nest is a cup lined with soft downy plant material, exterior covered with lichen, moss, or bark glued in place with spider web. Clutch size 2; incubation 15–17 days, by female; fledging at 20–21 days. Female occasionally double brooded, starting second clutch while young from first attempt still in nest#R.
Movements
Migratory, wintering mainly in Mexico, in the central highlands; small numbers seen regularly in S Texas and along the Gulf coast of USA; rare in S California and also in Baja California, mainly in N. Southward migration, probably beginning Jun–Jul, follows two major flyways on either side of the Great Basin Desert, the western route following the Cascade and Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada, while the eastern route is along the Rocky Mts; arrives on wintering grounds Aug/Sept. Northward return migration takes place further to the west, along the Pacific coast; birds begin arriving in Washington late Feb and Mar. Timing of migration depends on flower availability. The only hummingbird to have been recorded in the Palearctic, with spring records from the Chukotski Peninsula, Russia#R.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. CITES II. Some concern over a decrease in numbers during migration. In USA, artificial feeders maintain unusually large populations that exceed available natural food sources. The species is susceptible to natural or unnatural disturbances, such as forest fires, because its habitat is often restricted to the higher elevations of isolated mountain ranges. In the future, habitat destruction could prove to be a major concern throughout its range.
Closely related to S. sasin (see below). Monotypic.