Rufous Hummingbird
The rufous hummingbird is among the smallest of hummingbird species weighing between 3.2 and 4.5 grams.
Rufous hummingbirds will migrate from their winter habitats in Western Mexico and follow the Pacific flyway north into California, arriving in Alaska by May for breeding. By July, rufous hummingbirds begin their migration back south by following the mountains and taking advantage of late blooming alpine flowers.
With this large migration pattern and their tiny bodies, rufous hummingbirds present many challenges for scientists to study.
Hummingbird approaching a trap at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
A crowd watches Todd band hummingbirds at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Hummingbird banding.
Placing a uniquely numbered band on a bird’s leg and then releasing it allows scientists across the country recapture the bird and gather important information such as migration patterns, mortality rates, and population status.
Each year a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) partners with AWCC to capture, band, and release the hummingbirds that visit our sanctuary.
Through hummingbird banding, scientists estimate that only about 60% of hummingbirds will survive the annual migration. Additionally, rufous hummingbird populations have decreased 60% since 1974. You can help hummingbirds by planting native flowers, avoiding the use of pesticides, and maintaining a hummingbird feeder. Fill feeders with 4-parts water and 1-part white sugar, nothing else, and wash it at least once per week to remove mold and bacteria. Be mindful that a feeder could attract bears.
- To read more about the banding of rufous hummingbirds and the impact it has on research, read the USFWS article here.
- For an overview and more information on the Rufous Hummingbird, explore the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service website here.
The video above features a crowd watching Todd band and release a hummingbird at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Report Observations
Be a part of the research effort.
AWCC is an eBird Hotspot!
eBird is an online database of bird observations providing scientists, researchers and amateur naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and abundance. Guests and staff report sightings of birds visiting AWCC and you can too! Check out what birds have been seen at AWCC and report your sightings here.
Report your observations from the AWCC.
iNaturalist is a social network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity across the globe. Data from this program is incorporated into existing databases and shared with researchers and biologists to inform ongoing research, conservation, and management efforts. AWCC staff and guests report observations and so can you! Check out what has recently been observed at AWCC and report your findings here.