Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
Rufous Hummingbird Copyright (C) 2007 Douglas Herr
Rufous Hummingbird Copyright (C) 2007 Douglas Herr
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The Rufous Hummingbird breeds in mountain meadows and forest edges from southeastern Alaska, British Columbia, southwestern Alberta, and western Montana south to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and northern California; 2 white eggs are laid in a lichen-covered cup of plant down and spiderweb attached to a horizontal branch. Winters mainly in Mexico and occurs in small numbers along Gulf Coast during migration and in winter. In migration and in winter this species frequents gardens with hummingbird feeding stations. |
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Camera: Leica R8
Hatch-year Rufous Hummingbirds migrating south through the mountains find the summer's last flowers (in this case, Swamp Thistle (Cirsium douglasii var.
breweri) in protected meadows and valleys, and while visiting the meadows they establish and defend feeding territory which invariably overlaps with
another hummingbird's claim. In Warner Valley outside Chester California on the south side of Lassen Volcanic National Park was one of these meadows. Based on the hummingbird density and the size of the meadow I'll guess there were 100 or more
Rufous Hummingbirds in the meadow zzzipping around, chasing each other away from favored flowers.
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