Using WhatBird, I was able to identify a really beautiful hummingbird I saw in my garden today as a Rufous Hummingbird. It seems that these guys breed in the Pacific Northwest and spend the winter in Mexico, so he must have been taking a break in my Southern California garden on his way to Mexico.
Photo by Janruss
Photo by Janruss
Some interesting facts I learned from WhatBird:
- The Rufous Hummingbird has the longest migration route of all North American hummingbirds.
- This bird has an excellent memory for location. They have been observed investigating where an absent feeder was located the previous year.
- A group of hummingbirds has many collective nouns, including a “bouquet”, “glittering”, “hover”, “shimmer”, and “tune” of hummingbirds.
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I had a “bouquet” of at least 3 Rufous hummers hang out for about a month last spring. What gorgeous birds and what a treat to get to watch their antics for so long. They managed to dominate one of my 3 feeders, the resident Anna’s were none too happy.
I found your blog through blotanical.
Hey Michelle! Thanks for stopping by! It’s funny how aggressive Hummingbirds can be. For such little pip squeaks, they can be real bullies.