rufous hummingbird - selasphorus rufus

The Rufous Hummingbird (selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 10 cm long with a long, straight and very slender bill. The female is slightly larger than the male. Often described as "feisty," the Rufous hummingbird may have the ideal size-to-weight ratio among North American hummingbirds. This bird outflies all other species, and usually gets its way at feeders at the expense of slower, less-manoeuvrable hummers.
The Rufous has the longest migration route of all US hummingbirds.
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.

Visit WWW.STOCKSHOT.NL for highres version or broadcast video footage. More birdlife available!

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• stockshot
• national
• park
• nature
• landscape
• natuur
• landschap
• banff
• jasper
• canada
• selasphorus rufus
• hummingbird
• bird

[MsDogben]

Beautiful rufous! We get tons of these here in Northern Arizona. They are my favorites. Feisty is an understatement! They are aggressive, pugnacious and unrelenting! I've seen them attack ravens that get too close to the feeder. I had one little guy that came back every year for several years.  We called him "Sherman" after the civil war general. His wife built a nest on top of one of our wind chimes. I understand many hummers are monogamous. Thanks for sharing this beauty and info.

[ladyjack96]

I call that guy Da Roofee! :) Nice shot!

[wemerson2]

Cool shots and liked the music too. I've done a few hummingbird videos, too. But they were on ruby throated birds. We see the rufous in our area only in November december (and April) as they migrate. Comparatively, the rufous is huge.

[boombella]

Very nice rufous. You might add that the rufous has a distinctive flight noise. I like to call him the fire troated put-put.  Very small and very beautiful. He also sounds like the old VW bug of my youth.