Here in northwest Oregon we are suddenly seeing quite a number of our dominant (both in number as well as behavior) Spring, Summer, and Autumn hummingbird – Selasphorous rufus, the Rufous Hummingbird. As the blossoms of high nectar bearing plants are not quite in bloom, any and all hummingbird feeders filled with fresh sugar water (remember, one part sugar, four parts water is all it takes) are having no difficulties at all attracting these little auburn charmers.
It might seem trite, but I’ve long thought the males of the species looked like they were wearing little brown varsity jackets with dark green sleeves.
The females still carry some of the ruddy brown coloration but lack much of the gorget – the bold characteristic throat patch of the males that is so stunning to see flashing in the sunlight.
On the subject of gorgets, you might be interested to learn that the bright color so commonly associated with this favorite feature of hummingbird watchers is not actually as bold in natural color as it might seem. The male shown above has a gorget that appears a dull purplish brown when light is not shining directly upon it.
However if he turns only slightly to catch a ray of sunlight, a kaleidoscope of metalic reds, pinks, and even hints of yellow and green are unleashed. This is due to the color of the gorget feathers not being based in pigment but in the structure of the feather itself. Like a collection of thousands of little prisms in a bicycle reflector, the light striking the feathers and being refracted is what gives them their spectacularly vivid colors.
While making the overall appearence of the male Rufous Hummingbird strikingly beautiful, it also makes them very challenging to record with a camera. A direct photograph of the gorget in sunlight is likely to cause overexposure, so a bit of experimenting is needed to compensate and still allow the color to be seen clearly. The image above, for example, was one of about fifty I recorded of the bird on three of its different visits to the same perch within roughtly half an hour. I liked it so much I have placed it on the homepage of this very site.
