Gray's Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chrysuronia grayi compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Gray's Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chrysuronia grayi | 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 | 5.6499999999999995 g (0.20 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 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Gray's 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
Gray's Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip followed by short buzzy trill; clean staccato onset launching into brief rough cascade.
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
Gray's Hummingbird
Found in western Ecuador. Resident in lowland and foothill forest edges. Limited ecological data available.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Gray's Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Gray's Hummingbird
Chinese Coucal: dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; winter plumage streaked; Asian 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
Gray's Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird found in western Ecuador. Green plumage. Nectarivore of lowland and foothill forest edges. Named after George Robert Gray. Sometimes treated as a subspecies. Limited ecological data available.
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.