Santa Marta Woodstar vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chaetocercus astreans compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Santa Marta Woodstar | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetocercus astreans | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 6.7 cm (2.6 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.605 g (0.09 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; feeds on highland floral nectar and supplements … | 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
Santa Marta Woodstar
Rapid, mechanical clicking trill; quick even staccato notes in steady dry rhythm throughout active day.
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
Santa Marta Woodstar
Endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, at 1,200-3,000 m elevation. Found nowhere else in the world.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Santa Marta Woodstar
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Santa Marta Woodstar
Bahama Woodstar (alt): tiny; males with glittering magenta-rose gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females spotted below
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
Santa Marta Woodstar
A tiny hummingbird (7 cm) endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, at 1,200-3,000 m. Males have a sparkling gorget. Nectarivore of montane forest edges. A Santa Marta endemic with limited range. Sometimes treated as a subspecies of Gorgeted Woodstar.
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.