Date: 10/25/2022

Number: 1

The male sub adult Rufous here has bottom orange throat feathers on both sides coming in more. He has pointed tail feathers.

In the past years 1 female Rufous that overwintered here just had a large, low red spot on white throat. She had more rounded tip tail feathers.

Sub adult Rufous also have green dots on their throats.

It takes me quite a while to determine if male or female when they first come in. It takes me quite awhile to determine if it's a returning Rufous. In which we had 3 years in a row one overwintering here.

That Rufous
was here in until February 16th until that bad power 3 day blackout in 2020. Rufous was questionable bc it didn't have full adult breeding plumage. However finally before black out it was determined to be a male by swinging up and down courtship behavior.

Only once we had a full orange adult male Rufous which was our first overwintering in 2016. Paula another JN Houston just a short distance ftom our location also had an adult full orange male about same time as us. Paula had him banded.

The point being if this helps any JN reporters of Rufous sightings , always assume you have sub adult male or female Rufous. When first sighted in the gulf coast winter area and spring migrating in to feeders.
Especially if no total orange plumage/throat is present
on them.

Beverly L.
Houston

Houston, TX

Latitude: 29.8 Longitude: -95.4

Observed by: Beverly
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