Songbirds

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

A small, feisty hummingbird — the male blazes with iridescent orange-red plumage and a brilliant scarlet gorget. It undertakes one of the longest migrations relative to body size of any bird.

Current regional viewing notes

Gardens, forest clearings, and areas with flowering plants around Hoonah; attracted to salmonberry blossoms and hummingbird feeders.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Forest edges, meadows, gardens, and anywhere with tubular flowers.

Diet

Nectar from flowers, tree sap from sapsucker wells, and tiny insects.

Natural history note

Rufous Hummingbirds migrate nearly 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska — relative to body size, this is the longest migration of any bird in the world.