Bird guide · Selasphorus rufus
Rufous Hummingbird
What the rufous hummingbird eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Migrant
- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Eats
- nectar
- Feeds
- nectar feeder
- Most common
- Washington, New Mexico, Oregon
Food
What do rufous hummingbirds eat?
At feeders, rufous hummingbirds take nectar.
Notably pugnacious, chasing other hummingbirds away.
Feeder that suits it
A hummingbird nectar feeder with one part sugar to four parts water.
Range
Where do rufous hummingbirds live?
Breeds in the Northwest up to Alaska; many now winter on the Gulf Coast. By share of all bird sightings, rufous hummingbirds are most common in Washington (0.4%).
States where rufous hummingbirds are most common
- Washington0.4%
- New Mexico0.4%
- Oregon0.4%
- Alaska0.3%
- Idaho0.2%
- Arizona0.2%
- Montana0.2%
- Wyoming0.1%
- Colorado0.1%
- Utah0.1%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are rufous hummingbirds, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the rufous hummingbird migrate?
Migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in August.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are rufous hummingbirds, by month.
Identification
How to identify the rufous hummingbird
Male: Bright coppery-rufous above with a throat that shines red.
Female: Green back, spotted throat and an orange-buff wash on the sides and tail base.
Size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
On camera
Getting the rufous hummingbird on a feeder camera
You need a hummingbird feeder camera – hummingbirds never visit seed feeders. See feeder cameras compared for the nectar models.
Questions
Rufous Hummingbird: questions
What do rufous hummingbirds eat?
At feeders, nectar.
Do rufous hummingbirds migrate?
Migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in August.
Where do rufous hummingbirds live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Washington, New Mexico, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho. They are rare or absent in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia.
What does a female rufous hummingbird look like?
Green back, spotted throat and an orange-buff wash on the sides and tail base.