Humboldt's Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chrysuronia humboldtii compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Humboldt's Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chrysuronia humboldtii | 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 | 6.275 g (0.22 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from Colombian and Venezuelan lowland flowers. Supplements with small arthropods caught near … | 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
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Melodic, descending two-note whistle; pure warm tones stepping down smoothly, given repeatedly from territory perch.
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
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Found in humid Pacific lowland forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Resident in Chocó forest edges.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Humboldt's Hummingbird
Black-throated Coucal: black throat; brown streaked above; rufous wings; buff below; long dark tail; red eye; black throat distinctive
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
Humboldt's Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in humid Pacific lowland forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Green plumage. Nectarivore of Chocó forest edges. Named after Alexander von Humboldt. Sometimes considered a subspecies of Sapphire-throated Hummingbird.
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.