White-vented Violetear vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Colibri serrirostris compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-vented Violetear | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colibri serrirostris | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.6 cm (5.4 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 6.199999999999999 g (0.22 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of highland and lowland forest margins. Feeds on diverse tubular flowers and catches flying … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
White-vented Violetear 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
White-vented Violetear
Sharp, emphatic squeak repeated quickly; tiny piercing notes delivered insistently during competitive encounters near feeders.
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
White-vented Violetear
Found in cerrado, chaco, and open woodland of central and southern Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. 200–1,200 m elevation.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
White-vented Violetear
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
White-vented Violetear
Coppery Emerald: iridescent bronze-green with coppery rump; violet-blue gorget; white belly patch; rufous flanks; females plain 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
White-vented Violetear
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) with green plumage, violet ear patches, and a distinctive white vent. Found in cerrado and open habitats of central South America from Brazil to Argentina. Nectarivore of savanna flowers and gardens. An adaptable, widespread 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.