Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous HummingbirdRufous HummingbirdRufous HummingbirdRufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Saguaro National Park
987 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026
11,918 Verified sightings across all 30 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Rufous Hummingbird

The rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) is a small hummingbird, about 8 cm (3 in) long with a long, straight and slender bill. These birds are known for their extraordinary flight skills, flying 3,200 kilometres (2,000 miles) during their migratory transits. It is one of nine species in the genus Selasphorus.

The rufous hummingbird was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other hummingbirds in the genus Trochilus. He coined the binomial name Trochilus rufus. Gmelin based his description on the ruff-necked hummingbird described by John Latham in 1782 and the ruffed honeysucker described by Thomas Pennant in 1785.

The type locality given by Gmelin was Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island in western Canada. However, breeding was estimated to occur in northwestern North America and wintering in westcentral Mexico. The rufous hummingbird is now placed with eight other species in the genus Selasphorus that was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William Swainson. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek selas meaning... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Broad-tailed Hummingbird
LC

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Selasphorus platycercus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Calliope Hummingbird
LC

Calliope Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Selasphorus calliope

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Anna's Hummingbird
LC

Anna's Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calypte anna

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Broad-billed Hummingbird
LC

Broad-billed Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cynanthus latirostris

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Costa's Hummingbird
LC

Costa's Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calypte costae

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Black-chinned Hummingbird
LC

Black-chinned Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Archilochus alexandri

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
White-eared Hummingbird

White-eared Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Basilinna leucotis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-throated Hummingbird
LC

Blue-throated Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lampornis clemenciae

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
LC

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucolia violiceps

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lucifer Hummingbird
LC

Lucifer Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calothorax lucifer

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Rivoli's Hummingbird
LC

Rivoli's Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eugenes fulgens

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
White-throated Swift
LC

White-throated Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aeronautes saxatalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
2 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
3 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
5 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
8 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
12 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
13 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
15 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
16 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
18 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
20 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
22 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
23 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
24 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
25 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
26 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
27 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
28 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
29 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
30 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rufous Hummingbird in Saguaro National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous Hummingbird sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 987 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rufous Hummingbird in Saguaro National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Rufous Hummingbird in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

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