Cinnamon Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Amazilia rutila compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cinnamon Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amazilia rutila | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.725 g (0.17 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Visits flowering trees and epiphytes for nectar; supplements diet with small arthropods including gnats, midges, … | 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
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note repeated quickly; clean staccato delivery with forceful attack during territory announcement.
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
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Found along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Costa Rica. Resident in dry forest, scrub, and gardens.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Black-faced Coucal (alt): black face mask; dark brown mantle; rufous wings; pale buff below; red eye; long dark graduated tail
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
Cinnamon Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in dry to semi-humid habitats along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Costa Rica. Entirely cinnamon-rufous underparts, unusual for a hummingbird. Nectarivore of dry forest, scrub, and gardens.
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.