A Real Humdinger

Rufous hummingbird COLORS Uniformly orange back and tail on adult males, though some have glimmers of green. TAIL FEATHERS Second feather from middle has a notched tip that’s visible when the tail is fanned out. BEHAVIOR Males dive in oval shape around perched females; can show variation when practicing or defending their territory. RANGE Covers a wide swath of western states, including Alaska and the Rockies. Allen’s hummingbird COLORS Overall a mix of orange and green on adult males; females and juvenile males are nearly identical in hue to rufous. TAIL FEATHERS Outermost feathers slimmer and pointier than the rest. BEHAVIOR Males repeatedly form a “J” when flying around perched females. RANGE Restricted to West Coast in breeding season and Southern California and Arizona during migration. MORE MIXUPS Ornithologists have pinpointed a 200-mile zone in Oregon and California where rufous and Allen’s hummingbirds interbreed. Hybrid individuals can be identified…