Violet-bellied Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chlorestes julie compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Violet-bellied Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chlorestes julie | 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 | 3.1759999999999997 g (0.11 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Hovering nectarivore of lowland and montane forest, probing Heliconia and garden flowers. Supplements with insects … | 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
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Thin, high-pitched twittering barely perceptible; delicate notes cascading gently near high-elevation blossoms.
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
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Found in humid lowland forests from Honduras to Ecuador. Resident in forest undergrowth and edges.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Verreaux's Coua: rich rufous below; olive-brown above; brilliant bare blue-green facial skin; white-tipped tail; Madagascar endemic
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
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in humid lowland forests from Honduras to Ecuador. Males have a violet-blue belly patch. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges. An inconspicuous understory species.
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.