Rufous Hummingbird

Cornell’s All About Birds

Woodbine. Adult male, Oct 22-??, 2025. Banded and verified by Bruce Peterjohn.

Adult male on private property well-photographed by many members. The first photo shows the bird in the hand of the homeowner before she released it. The second shows the diagnostic notch in the tail feather that help distinguish this species from an Allen’s Hummingbird. Following is a selection of the photographs taken October 22-24, 2025, by Joe Hanfman, Gregg Petersen, Howard Patterson, Jeff Culler, Lauren Crocker, Lillian Saul, Mary Prowell, Russ Ruffing, Ryan Salsman, Steve Luke, Tim McGowen, and Wendy Crowe.

Rufous Hummingbird01_2025-1025_0891_Bobbie Eckhoff

Rufous Hummingbird02_2025-1025_0888_diagnostic

Woodmark (Ellicott City), November 10-18, 2022. Identified from photographs.

Adult male (definitive photo) and immature mate (banded & released)

Toll House (Ellicott City) November 6, 2019–April 5, 2020. Banded and identified by David Holmes & Bruce Peterjohn

Immature male

November 6, 2019 Photo by Kelsey Wellons

In addition to a VIDEO recorded one day after the bird was first identified, there was soon a concerted effort to protect and nurture the bird.

There was overnight shelter nearby, and the homeowner and a dedicated crew insured there was a hummingbird feeder ready and waiting at the crack of dawn—which the bird promptly found on the cold mornings.

Notice the change in plumage over the months.