Rufous hummingbirds

Rufous hummingbirds are annual winter residents in Houston neighborhoods.

They prefer wooded neighborhoods with nectar-producing plants and hummingbird feeders.

Females differ from males by green crown and back with ruddy sides.

Both males and females are fiercely aggressive at hummingbird feeders, even chasing off songbirds.

Additional western hummingbirds occasionally spending winters in Houston include broadtailed, Calliope and Allen’s, which are virtually identical to rufous.