Canivet's Emerald vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Cynanthus canivetii compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Canivet's Emerald | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cynanthus canivetii | 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 | 2.4000000000000004 g (0.08 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from diverse forest flowers, hovering briefly at each bloom. Takes small insects … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 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
Canivet's Emerald
Sharp, emphatic chip repeated persistently; clean staccato note with forceful attack during territorial announcement.
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
Canivet's Emerald
Found from southern Mexico through Central America to Costa Rica. Resident in forest edges and gardens at various elevations.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Canivet's Emerald
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Canivet's Emerald
Andean Emerald: males with glittering green gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted white 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
Canivet's Emerald
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found from Mexico through Central America to Costa Rica. Brilliant emerald-green plumage with a short, straight bill. Nectarivore of forest edges, gardens, and second growth. One of the most common small hummingbirds in Central America.
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.