Rufous hummingbird

Rufous hummingbirds are aggressive, defending feeders and flowers against much bigger birds. They withstand cold nights by going into torpor, lowering their body temperature and heart rate to save energy.

Rufous hummingbirds make one of the longest migrations of any bird for its size — from Mexico to Alaska and back — and a growing number winter in the Southeast. Their survival of freezing nights in torpor shows how small bodies manage extreme conditions.

Nest — A cup of plant down, moss and spider silk, in the Northwest
Eggs — Two
Incubation — About 15 to 17 days
Nestlings — Fledge at about 21 days
Lifespan — Several years

• Feeders kept clean and thawed in winter can support a rufous hummingbird through cold spells.
• A hummingbird that seems frozen and still on a cold morning may be in torpor and will revive as it warms.

• A winter hummingbird is lost. Rufous hummingbirds winter in the Southeast every year.
• A motionless hummingbird on a cold morning is dead. It may be in torpor, and usually recovers as the day warms.

• Ruby-throated hummingbird
• Black-chinned hummingbird