Female Rufous Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited or set up

I guess I could quote what BNA has to say about Rufous Hummingbirds and how they are known as North America’s “extremist” hummingbirds, how they are the ABA Bird of the Year, how they make the longest avian migration measured by body length or have a very short breeding season but the longest day-length seen by any hummingbird but all that stuff is already out there so let me write about this one individual Rufous Hummingbird and my observations of it.

This Rufous Hummingbird had a favorite perch that looked out over its favorite patch of Rocky Mountain Bee Plant. The hummingbird carefully watched over those plants and would streak in to defend its territory whenever another hummingbird appeared and it did it with extreme speed. The bird was pugnacious, fast and flashy and chased away bees, butterflies, moths, a Loggerhead Shrike and any thing else that dared to approach its patch and I think if I had stepped out of the vehicle to smell the Bee Plant it would have used its sharp bill to make me leave its territory. And I would have retreated from the tiny but feisty bird.

She was one “Mean Mamma” and I wish her luck on her migration south.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my flower, shrub and tree photos. Click here to see more of my Rufous Hummingbird photos plus facts and information about this species.