Mid to late March brings the return of rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) scouts to the Pacific Northwest, with males arriving first to establish territories before females follow 1-2 weeks later. These tiny migrants travel over 3,000 miles from their Mexican wintering grounds, timing their arrival to coincide with the blooming of red flowering currant, their primary early-season nectar source. Male rufous hummingbirds display brilliant orange-red gorgets (throat feathers) and are highly territorial, aggressively defending flowering plants and feeders. Watch for their spectacular courtship displays, where males perform steep U-shaped dives, producing loud wing trills at the bottom of each dive. Rufous hummingbirds are among the longest-distance migrants relative to body size of any bird species, and their arrival signals the full awakening of Pacific Northwest spring.