Selasphorus rufus
The Rufous Hummingbird's annual migration through the Rocky Mountains coincides with the blooming of the flowers. The only commonly seen copper-colored hummers in the Rockies, Rufous Hummingbirds migrate north in spring along the temperate West Coast en route to their breeding grounds in the northern Rockies. Once the females are done rearing their young, the birds follow the late-blooming alpine meadows south through the Rockies. The alpine flowers provide the food they need for their migration to Central and South America. To attract pollinators (insects and hummingbirds), plants produce colorful flowers with sweet, energy-rich nectar. As hummingbirds visit flowers for the food, they spread pollen from one flower to another, ensuring the plants' survival. |
I.D.: General: long, thin, black bill; mostly rufous tail. Male: red back, tail and flanks; scarlet, scaled throat; green crown; white breast and belly. Female: green back; red-spotted throat; rufous flanks; light underparts. Size: L 31/4-31/2 in. (8-9 cm). Range: common migrant and summer breeder in the Canadian Rockies; common fall migrant in the U.S. Rockies. Habitat: Douglas-fir forests, forest edges, meadows and willow shrubs in the montane and the subalpine. Nesting: tiny cup nest of plant down and spider webs, covered with lichens and leaves, is saddled on a drooping conifer branch; female incubates 2 eggs for up to 14 days. Feeding: probes mostly red flowers for nectar while hovering; also eats small insects and sap. Voice: call is a gentle chewp chewp; also makes a fast buzz: zeee-chuppity-chup. Similar Species: Calliope Hummingbird and Broad-tailed Hummingbird: females have much less rufous in their tails. |
