Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Identification

The rufous-tailed hummingbird is a medium-sized member of the emerald hummingbirds, measuring 9 to 11 cm long and weighing approximately 5 g. The adult male of the nominate subspecies displays iridescent green on the head and upperparts, with distinctive chestnut-brown lores and uppertail coverts. Its tail is predominantly chestnut-brown—the source of its common name—with bronze-green outer webs and tips. The throat, upper breast, and sides are green, sometimes with thin white edges creating a scalloped effect, while the lower breast is gray and the belly white. Females have a paler gray lower breast and more pronounced throat scalloping. Juveniles show a cinnamon wash on the lower breast and sides. The bill is characteristically bicolored: the outer half of the upper bill is black with a red inner half, while the lower bill is red with a black tip.

Range & Habitat

This species is found from east-central Mexico through Central America and into northern South America, with its range extending from the Mexican states of Veracruz and Oaxaca southward through Central America into Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Five recognized subspecies occupy different regions across this broad distribution. The rufous-tailed hummingbird favors open, non-forested landscapes including clearings, gardens, and forest edges, as well as low, young secondary forests. It occurs from sea level to varying elevations depending on location, reaching 1,200 m in Mexico, up to 1,850 m in Costa Rica, and exceptionally to 2,500 m in Ecuador, though this highest elevation is considered local or seasonal.

Behaviour & Diet

Like all hummingbirds, this species sustains itself on nectar and small insects, and it is commonly observed at sugar-water feeders. It frequents coffee and banana plantations, which provide abundant flowering plants. The rufous-tailed hummingbird is renowned for its extremely territorial and aggressive behavior at feeding sites, vigorously chasing away competing hummingbirds and large insects from flower patches and feeders. The species is polygynous, and despite its aggressive feeding behavior, females sometimes nest in loose colonies. Breeding occurs within the February to November window, varying by location. Females alone construct the compact cup nest from plant fibers, leaves, spiderwebs, and lichen and moss coverings, typically placing it up to 6 m high on a thin horizontal twig. They lay two white eggs, with incubation lasting 15 to 19 days and fledging requiring another 18 to 22 days.

Best Time & Places to See It

The rufous-tailed hummingbird's breeding season spans February through November depending on location, making it potentially visible year-round across different parts of its range. This species readily visits sugar-water feeders, making lodges and gardens excellent viewing locations. Coffee and banana plantations are particularly reliable habitat for encounters, as the birds thrive in these cultivated landscapes. Its abundance across a very large range—estimated at more than five million mature individuals—makes it one of the more consistently observable hummingbirds throughout Central America and northwestern South America.

Photography Tips

The rufous-tailed hummingbird's chestnut tail and iridescent green plumage make for striking photographs, particularly when the green gorget catches direct sunlight. Feeders offer excellent opportunities for controlled shots of this species, which is both common and unafraid of human presence. Its aggressive, territorial nature means that multiple individuals often visit the same feeding area, creating opportunities to photograph behavioral interactions. Early morning light will best illuminate the iridescent gorget and head coloration. The bird's small size (9–11 cm) and rapid movements require fast shutter speeds and careful focus to capture sharp detail of its distinctive bicolored bill and colorful plumage.