Living the high life

The rufous hummingbird (aka Selasphorus rufus) has the northernmost range of any of its species, its breeding ground stretching clear on up to Alaska. This one's sipping nectar at the arboretum at Cal State Fullerton.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Brandi]

This is more likely an Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) as the range for the Rufous is generally more northern. The Allen's hummer is found in SoCal near the coast. This bird is either a female or an immature bird, and as such, without seeing the tail better, there is no way to really identify whether it is a Rufous or Allen's (they're nearly identical).