How to Use rufous in a Sentence

rufous

adjective
  • The rufous hummer is so named because of the russet or rust color on its face, flanks and tail.
    — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 26 July 2019
  • Some of the rufous hummingbirds are still in area neighborhoods and often stay all winter.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 1 Jan. 2021
  • In humans, complete loss of function for Tyrp1 is known to cause rufous albinism.
    — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2011
  • Next month, their close cousins the rufous hummingbirds will follow, diminutive little birds with rusty red on their flanks and reddish backs.
    — Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024
  • And even in the summer, rufous hummingbirds are usually found on the West Coast.
    — Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
  • The robin-sized gray catbird sports a lovely shade of gray overall, with a black cap, dark eye, black in the wings and contrasting bright rufous under its tail.
    — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
  • The most distinctive difference are tiny notches in the second tail feather of the adult male rufous hummingbird.
    — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • While there are some color differences such as the more common green back of the Allen’s, sometimes the rufous will also show green back feathers.
    — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • In my garden, Rufous hummingbirds frequent one of my fountains with an old man’s face that spits water down to a basin 3 feet below.
    — Ciscoe Morris, The Seattle Times, 21 June 2017
  • The little rufous hummingbird is the most aggressive and independent of the migrants.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 10 Oct. 2019
  • The dumpy chicken-like creature with a rufous shoulder patch was a corn crake (Crex crex), a meadow-dwelling relative of the cranes from Europe.
    — Richard O. Prum, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2018
  • This moderate trail is full of animal sightings including woodland birds such as ovenbirds, wood thrush, rufous-sided towhees and gray catbirds.
    — Briana Rice, The Enquirer, 20 Aug. 2020
  • Another species of hummingbird, the rare rufous hummingbird, is sometimes spotted in Ohio during late fall and winter months.
    — Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 10 Apr. 2023
  • The attractive plant is always a point of competition between migrating ruby throats, rufous and black chin hummingbirds in the fall and early winter.
    — Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Aug. 2022
  • The rufous and Allen’s are extremely difficult birds to distinguish in the field because of their similarity.
    — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Spring also brings the gloriously beautiful Allen’s or rufous hummingbirds that are quite similar but most distinctive by their brilliant red throats.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2022
  • In North Scituate, a rufous hummingbird and a Bicknell’s thrush.
    — Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Oct. 2022
  • Johnson said rufous hummingbird migrations can take them close to 4,000 miles between Alaska and Mexico each fall and spring.
    — Brian Broom, USA TODAY, 29 Aug. 2023
  • Our neighborhood in the Medical Center area is usually blessed with a winter resident rufous hummingbird.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 24 Sep. 2020
  • Mountain West Hummingbirds like the broad-tailed, black-chinned, rufous, and calliope varieties arrive in the mountainous West in spring once flowers begin to bloom.
    — Sydney Wingfield, Martha Stewart, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Another unusual behavior by the rufous hummingbirds is the inclination of some birds every year to linger here in San Antonio for the winter.
    — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 24 Sep. 2020
  • The rufous-breasted blue flycatcher was photographed in Luzon Island, Philippines, after last being seen in 2008.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The rufous-breasted blue flycatcher was photographed on Luzon Island, Philippines, after last being seen in 2008.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Grand Prize Bird Photos The Grand Prize Winner for the new Colombia and Chile category was awarded to this image of a blue-and-gray kingfisher flying out of the water, creating a splash around its wet body, shaggy crest, white collar and rufous belly.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rufous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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