Great Horned Owl vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Bubo virginianus مقارنةً بـ Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| السمة | Great Horned Owl | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| الاسم العلمي | Bubo virginianus | Archilochus colubris |
| الرتبة | Strigiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| الفصيلة | Strigidae | Trochilidae |
| حالة الحفاظ | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| الطول | 55,0 cm (21.7 in) | 8,5 cm (3.3 in) |
| طول الجناح | 127,0 cm (50.0 in) | 11,0 cm (4.3 in) |
| الوزن | 1400,0 g (49.38 oz) | 3,1 g (0.11 oz) |
| النظام الغذائي | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| عدد البيض في الوضع | 1-4 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
الموائل المشتركة
Great Horned Owl only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
بلا
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Soft, high-pitched chattering and twittering 'chee-dit'. Also produces a thin 'tik' call in flight. Wing beats create an audible high-pitched humming buzz during hovering.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
حالة الحفاظ
Great Horned Owl
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Metallic green upperparts and greyish-white underparts. Males have a brilliant iridescent ruby-red gorget that appears black in poor light. Females lack the gorget.
Long, straight, thin black bill adapted for probing flowers
About These Birds
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only breeding hummingbird in eastern North America. These tiny birds beat their wings about 53 times per second and can fly backwards, sideways, and even briefly upside down. They make an extraordinary non-stop 800 km crossing of the Gulf of Mexico during migration.