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Rufous or Allen's?? (1 Viewer)

MrsBozeman

New member
Hi all, new here. I have a very feisty (which makes me think Rufous?) hummingbird who has nested in the tree next to my feeder. She doesn't let any other birds drink from the feeder, many times chasing them all the way across the street and out of sight! Others that come are Rufous, Allen's, lots of Anna's, and I've seen one Costa's.

She is medium height, but fuller than some of the others that come. She is super tame, sometimes coming right up to my face to say hi! She always sits right next to me when I am sitting at the window (we don't have a screen so the window is totally open) The other day she flew right up to the side of my face and I could feel the wind from her wings! Would love to know which she is! Right now her name is Fru (female rufous) :)

We live in Los Angeles city. The pictures were taken today, March 8th. She has been nesting here for about a month.
 

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Hi, MrsBozeman!
Welcome to BF.

Those two birds, Allen's and Rufous are very difficult to distinguish apart from one another.
That said, I have a behavioral feel for an Allen's, given it being on a nest in LA.
Rufous generally nesting to the north.

For positive ID in most cases, a clear photograph of the spread open tail feathers is required.

This is one site that compares the difference >Here<

If you could follow up with a good photograph of the open tail, Im sure someone here in BF could confirm.

Hummers have an aura about them.
Once they fan us with their magic, we're smitten for life

Cheers!
 
I'm also in L.A., and I've all but given up thinking it's a Rufous…until this weekend. I've finally come across a Rufous male that doesn't make me doubt whether or not it's a Rufous or Allen's. Rather, he came across me. I was in the process of refilling the feeders and had one in my hand and ready to take down the other (I give them a 1-minute warning this way…or else wait 10 minutes while they get washed and refilled) when the Rufous zipped straight towards me without hesitation and starting drinking the one I was holding, occasionally looking up at me (the feeling never gets old and always makes my heart melt). The others, while very familiar with me, would still rather drink from the tree than my hand if given the option. I got a very good, up-close look at him, and he had zero green on his back—all Rufous. Junior, my resident Allen's male, hasn't been around this weekend for any sort of male-on-male challenge, and this Rufous fella was pretty friendly with all the hummingbirds the few hours he stuck around (didn't stay long at all and didn't chase any other hummers). It's been my experience that I've come across some really aggressive Allen's and an even an Anna's, not Rufous, so I don't think behavior is an absolute indicator. But, when it comes to females or young adults, I really have given up.

However, looking at your photo, it seems pretty patchy on the gorget there, more so than a typical female. Almost looks like it could be a young male whose gorget hasn't fully come in. Not sure it that's possible at this time of year.

P.S. You're lucky to have Costa's! I haven't had any visits from them…at least no males, anyways.
specially with females or young adults.
 
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