Blue-mantled Thornbill vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chalcostigma stanleyi compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue-mantled Thornbill | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chalcostigma stanleyi | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.2 cm (5.2 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.2749999999999995 g (0.19 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Andean treeline scrub; visits Ericaceae and Brachyotum blooms. Supplements with small arthropods. | 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
None
Blue-mantled Thornbill only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Crisp, whistled notes in ascending sequence; clean bright tones stepping up smoothly in cheerful morning delivery.
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
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Found in high Andean páramo from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 3,000–4,500 m elevation.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue-mantled Thornbill
Long-billed Starthroat: males glittering blue-green gorget; metallic green above; long bill; white pectoral tufts; females green with spots
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
Blue-mantled Thornbill
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean páramo from Colombia to Bolivia at 3,500-4,800 m. Males have a blue-violet mantle and short bill. Nectarivore of high-altitude Chuquiraga and Puya flowers. Enters torpor nightly. One of the highest-living 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.