Speckled Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Adelomyia melanogenys compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Speckled Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Adelomyia melanogenys | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 10.6 cm (4.2 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.300000000000001 g (0.15 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting a broad range of Andean montane flowers including Ericaceae and Bromeliaceae. Gleans small … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Speckled Hummingbird
Thin, sibilant trill with airy quality; soft high buzzing sustained gently during slow courtship hovering display.
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
Speckled Hummingbird
Widespread in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,200–3,200 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Speckled Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Speckled Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: males with iridescent ruby-red gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above with spots
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
Speckled Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) widely distributed in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Argentina at 1,000-3,000 m. Green plumage speckled with buff spots on the breast. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth and edges. One of the most widespread Andean hummingbirds.
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.