Broad-tipped Hermit vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Anopetia gounellei compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Broad-tipped Hermit | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anopetia gounellei | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 9.9 cm (3.9 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar specialist with a long curved bill adapted to heliconia and other tubular flowers; also … | 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
Broad-tipped Hermit
Sharp, piercing squeak followed by rapid chatter; vigorous delivery near territorial boundaries with escalating intensity.
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
Broad-tipped Hermit
Found in northeastern Brazil from Ceará south to Bahia. Resident in caatinga scrub and dry forest. Restricted to semi-arid northeastern Brazil.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Broad-tipped Hermit
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Broad-tipped Hermit
Tiny; bronze-green upperparts; pale buff underparts; pale supercilium; distinctive broad rounded tail feathers tipped white; dark-based tail with white tips broader than typical hermit tails; Brazilian caatinga specialist.
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
Broad-tipped Hermit
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in dry scrubland and caatinga of northeastern Brazil. Green plumage with rufous underparts and a distinctive broad, rounded tail. Nectarivore adapted to arid habitats, visiting cactus flowers and bromeliads. A Brazilian near-endemic.
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.