Species > Rufous Hummingbird photos

Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus

The Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 8 cm long (3 inches) with a long, straight and very slender bill. The female is slightly larger than the male.

They feed on nectar from flowers using a long extendible tongue or catch insects on the wing. These birds require frequent feeding while active during the day and become torpid at night to conserve energy.

Their breeding habitat is open areas and forest edges in western North America from southern Alaska to California. This bird nests further north than any other hummingbird. The female builds a nest in a protected location in a shrub or conifer. The male aggressively defends feeding locations within his territory. The same male may mate with several females.
Scientific classification
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Animalia
Chordata
Aves
Trochiliformes
Trochilidae
Selasphorus
Selasphorus rufus

Resources
Rufous Hummingbird on Wikipdia
Rufous Hummingbird on allaboutbirds.org