Travel Tale: A Rufous Hummer in Indiana
A Few Hummingbird Facts

  • Over the past 26 years, there were 42 verified sightings of rufous hummingbirds in Indiana. Ten of those were in the last year alone.

  • Journey North receives more reports of rufous hummingbirds being out of their normal range than of ruby-throated hummers being out of range.

  • 15 species of hummingbirds breed west of the Rockies; 1 species breeds east of the Rockies.

  • Rufous hummingbirds typically overwinter in cooler regions than rubythroats do.

  • More rufous hummingbirds were reported across the continent during the February 2006 Great Backyard Bird Count than during any of the last 8 years.

  • Rufous hummingbirds, which breed in the western U.S. and Canada, are being seen more and more often during winter in the East.

  • Hummingbird feeding has become more popular during the last 10 to 15 years.