Purple-backed Sunbeam vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Aglaeactis aliciae compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-backed Sunbeam | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aglaeactis aliciae | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 16.2 cm (6.4 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 7.4 g (0.26 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of restricted Peruvian high puna; visits Chuquiraga and cushion-plant flowers. Gleans tiny arthropods. | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 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
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Sharp, buzzy chip followed by rapid trill; emphatic onset launching into rough cascading notes typical of sunbeam.
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
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Endemic to Peru along the Río Marañón drainage in the arid upper Andes. 2,400–3,800 m. Critically endangered.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-backed Sunbeam
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
Purple-backed Sunbeam
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to a small area in the Andes of northern Peru at 2,900-3,500 m. Purple-backed with buff underparts. Nectarivore of montane scrub. Classified as Endangered due to extremely restricted range. One of Peru's rarest 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.