260 BIRDS 



THE RUFOUS HUMMING-BIRD* 



This hardy little ** Hummer," which is even smaller than 

 our well-known ruby-throated humming-bird, is weighted 

 with a number of popular names. Among these are the 

 "rufous-backed humming-bird," the "ruff-necked honey- 

 sucker, or humming-bird," the "rufous flamebearer," and 

 the " cinnamon hummer." 



The Rufous is probably the most widely distributed of 

 all the humming-birds. Its range extends throughout west- 

 ern North America. It breeds from the higher mountains 

 of southern California northward, near the coast, to south- 

 em Alaska. In its migrations it flies eastward to Montana, 

 Colorado, and thence southward through New Mexico to 

 western Texas. In fact, during this period it frequents the 

 eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, adding beauty to 

 this wild region. Its winter home is chiefly in Mexico and 

 Lower California. 



The nest of the rufous humming-bird resembles those of 

 many other species of hummers, and it is very much like 

 that of the Anna's humming-bird. The framework is com- 

 posed of delicate tree mosses and fine bark fiber, the outer 

 face of which is sometimes adorned with lichens, though not 

 so profusely as is that of the Anna's, and fastened together 

 with spiders' webs and the silky threads from cocoons. It is 

 lined with the fine cotton down of plants, especially that of 

 the willow, and the pappus of the Compositae. These nests 

 seem large when compared with the size of the bird. The 

 average nest measures about one and one-half inches in the 



