Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Red-tailed Comet

Archilochus colubris مقارنةً بـ Sappho sparganurus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Ruby-throated Hummingbird Red-tailed Comet
الاسم العلمي Archilochus colubris Sappho sparganurus
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Trochilidae Trochilidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول 8,5 cm (3.3 in)
طول الجناح 11,0 cm (4.3 in) 12,6 cm (5.0 in)
الوزن 3,1 g (0.11 oz) 5,4 g (0.19 oz)
النظام الغذائي Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … Nectarivore of Andean high-altitude scrub; visits Chuquiraga and Ericaceae flowers. Catches small insects near blooms.
عدد البيض في الوضع 2 2
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8,5 cm
Red-tailed Comet
طول الجناح
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 11,0 cm
Red-tailed Comet 12,6 cm
الوزن
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3,1 g
Red-tailed Comet 5,4 g
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Ruby-throated Hummingbird only

بلا

Red-tailed Comet only

بلا

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.

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Song & Call Comparison

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

الغناء

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.

Red-tailed Comet

الغناء

Pure, bell-like tones in descending sequence; clear musical notes stepping down smoothly with resonant ringing quality.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.

Red-tailed Comet

Found in the Andes and Patagonian scrub of Argentina and Bolivia from 1,000–4,200 m. Partly migratory southward.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Least Concern

Red-tailed Comet

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How to Tell Them Apart

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

الريش

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.

المنقار

Long, straight, thin black bill adapted for probing flowers

Red-tailed Comet

الريش

Purple-throated Woodstar: males with glittering rose-pink gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; tiny; females spotted below

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About These Birds

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.

Red-tailed Comet

A stunning hummingbird (15-22 cm including tail) found in dry inter-Andean valleys from Bolivia to northwestern Argentina at 2,000-4,500 m. Males have a deeply forked, iridescent red-orange tail. Nectarivore of arid scrub and cactus flowers. An iconic Andean species.

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