We got a little visitor at our hummingbird feeder this week. A plump Rufous Hummingbird who is on his way from Mexico wintering areas to Alaska/Canada breeding grounds. So cool to see these guys since they are in decline according to Cornell Labs.

Here is a still photo and video of this guy taking a sip and rest in our dinning room window.

Next is a photo of our resident birds.  They are Anna’s Hummingbirds.  Check out how they are more narrow bodied and green versus the rusty color of the Rufous.

The Anna’s have a bright red/pink gorget.  This little Rufous has golden bronze throat jewels that change to red in certain light.  Watch the video carefully and as he turns his head you can see the flash of the golden iridescent.

Some facts for those that love to learn new things:

Wiki describes the gorget in a good summary:

The Gorget is a patch of colored feathers found on the throat or upper breast of some species of birds. It is a feature found on many male hummingbirds, particularly those found in North America; these gorgets are typically iridescent.

Female hummingbirds have just a little patch on their neck. It too has iridescent colors just like the males, just a lot less of it.

Last here is from Cornell Lab a little blip about the Rufous migration patterns:

Long-distance migrant Rufous Hummingbirds travel nearly 4,000 miles from breeding grounds in Alaska and northwest Canada to wintering sites in Mexico. They travel north up the Pacific Coast in spring and return by the Rocky Mountains in late summer and fall.