Rufous
A reddish-brown colour named from Latin and seen in animal names
Rufous is a reddish-brown or brownish-red colour, similar to the look of rusted iron. Its name comes from the Latin word for red and is often used to describe the colouring of animals, especially birds. The term first appeared as a colour name in English in 1782.
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- Rufous is a reddish-brown colour like rusted iron.
- The name comes from Latin 'rufus', meaning red.
- First recorded as a colour name in English in 1782.
- Commonly used to describe animal and bird colouring.
What colour is Rufous?
Rufous is a colour that sits between red and brown, often described as reddish-brown or brownish-red. It is close to the colour of rust or oxidised iron. This shade is distinct from pure red or brown because it carries a visible mix of both, making it appear earthy and warm. Rufous is most familiar as a term for animal colouring, especially in birds, where it describes feathers, fur, or skin with this rusty tone.
Where does Rufous come from?
The word 'rufous' comes from the Latin 'rufus', which means 'red'. In English, the colour name was first recorded in 1782, though it appeared earlier in 1527 as a way to describe the colour of urine for medical purposes. The term is widely used in zoology, especially in naming birds and animals with this reddish-brown colouring.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealUnder Juan Manuel de Rosas in the 1830s and 1840s, everyone had to wear a scarlet ribbon to show loyalty to his Federalist party. His enemies, the Unitarians, were tied to sky blue.
Politics and protestFearSource: Juan Manuel de RosasThe flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of AustriaRed ochre is used in Aboriginal rock art and ceremony, and is traded over long distances. In the Aboriginal flag the red half stands for the earth and for that ochre.
Sacred and holyNature and renewalAweSource: Australian Aboriginal flagShades and relatives of Rufous
Rufous is closely related to other shades that mix red and brown, and may be confused with rust or oxidised iron colours. It is also listed among both shades of brown and shades of red. The term is mainly used to describe natural colours in animals rather than as a standard pigment or dye.
Colours that go with Rufous
Harmonies are worked out from the value #A81C07. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Rufous
What colour is rufous?
Rufous is a reddish-brown or brownish-red colour, similar to the colour of rust or oxidised iron.
Where does the name 'rufous' come from?
The name comes from the Latin word 'rufus', which means 'red'.
When was rufous first used as a colour name in English?
Rufous was first recorded as a colour name in English in 1782.
Where is the term 'rufous' most often used?
The term is widely used in zoology to describe the reddish-brown colouring of animals, especially birds.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rufous", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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