Rufous Hummingbird

Description:

Not a very clear photo, but this little hummingbird was very elusive. I only saw it twice and it didn't come to feed at the feeder. It was about half the size of the Magnificent Hummingbird, appearing like a brown streak when it flew. The smallest hummingbird I think I have seen. (8 cm)

Habitat:

tropical montane cloud rainforest

Notes:

The rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 8 cm (3.1 in) long with a long, straight and very slender bill. These birds are known for their incredible flight skills. Some are known to fly 2,000 mi (3,200 km) during their migratory transits. Rufous Hummingbirds travel nearly 4,000 miles from breeding grounds in Alaska and northwest Canada to wintering sites in Mexico. They travel north up the Pacific Coast in spring and return by the Rocky Mountains in late summer and fall.