The northward migration of rufous hummingbirds occurs along the Pacific flyway and may be time-coordinated with flower and tree leaf emergence in spring in early March, and also with availability of insects as food.
A migración ao norte do S. rufus ocorre ao longo da ruta migratoria do Pacífico e pode estar coordinada no tempo co nacemento das flores e as follas das árbores en primavera a inicios de marzo, e tamén coa dispoñibilidade de insectos para comer.