Common Blackbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Turdus merula compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Blackbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Turdus merula | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Passeriformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Turdidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 100.0 g (3.53 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Earthworms, insects, berries, and fruit. Forages on the ground, turning over leaf litter. Famously pulls … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 3-5 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Blackbird
Woodland, hedgerows, gardens, and parks. One of the most common garden birds across Europe.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Blackbird
Arguably Britain's finest songster: rich, flute-like phrases with deep, mellow quality. Sings persistently at dusk. Alarm is a sharp 'chook-chook'. Song includes liquid 'pew' notes.
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
Common Blackbird
Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Northern populations are migratory.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Common Blackbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Blackbird
Males are jet black with a bright yellow-orange bill and eye-ring. Females are dark brown with mottled underparts and a dull yellowish bill.
Bright yellow-orange bill in males, dull brownish in females
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
Common Blackbird
The common blackbird is one of Europe's most familiar and best-loved songbirds, celebrated for its rich, fluting song delivered from rooftop and treetop perches at dawn and dusk. Originally a shy woodland bird, it has colonized urban environments over the past two centuries and become one of the most successful urban adapters.
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.