Amazilia Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Amazilis amazilia compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Amazilia Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amazilis amazilia | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | — | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet … | 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
Shared Habitats
Amazilia Hummingbird only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
None
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Amazilia Hummingbird
Buzzy, high-pitched trill with insect-like quality; rapid sustained vibration barely distinguishable from insects.
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
Amazilia Hummingbird
Found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Resident in desert scrub and river valleys.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Amazilia Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Amazilia Hummingbird
Coucal (Celebes): dark glossy black above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; Sulawesi island endemic coucal
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
Amazilia Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Green plumage with variable rusty-orange underparts. Nectarivore of desert scrub, gardens, and river valleys. Adapted to arid Pacific environments.
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.