Common Ostrich vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Struthio camelus compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Ostrich | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Struthio camelus | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Struthioniformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Struthionidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 210.0 cm (82.7 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 100000.0 g (3527.40 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — plants, seeds, roots, flowers, insects, and small vertebrates. Swallows pebbles to aid digestion … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 2-11 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Ostrich
Open arid and semi-arid habitats including savannas, Sahel, and dry woodlands across Africa.
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 Ostrich
Male produces a surprisingly deep, resonant booming roar — remarkably lion-like. Also gives whistling and hissing sounds. Females and chicks emit softer grunts and squeaks.
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 Ostrich
Sub-Saharan Africa. Formerly also found in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Farmed worldwide.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Common Ostrich
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Ostrich
Males have black body plumage with white wing and tail feathers. Females and immatures are grey-brown. Bare skin on the neck and thighs varies from pink to blue.
Broad, flat bill adapted for an omnivorous diet
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 Ostrich
The common ostrich is the world's largest living bird, standing up to 2.7 meters tall and weighing up to 145 kg. Despite being flightless, it is the fastest bird on land, sprinting at speeds up to 70 km/h. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any living bird, weighing about 1.4 kg each.
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.