Broad-billed Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Cynanthus latirostris compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Broad-billed Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cynanthus latirostris | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 10.3 cm (4.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.3333333333333335 g (0.12 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Mexican thorn-forest and canyon habitats, probing wide-mouthed flowers. Gleans insects and spiders for … | 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
Shared Habitats
None
Broad-billed Hummingbird 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
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Rough, grating chatter with coarse texture; harsh series of notes interspersed with sharp emphatic chips.
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
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Found from the southwestern United States to central Mexico. Breeds in desert canyons; winters in western Mexico.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird: males with brilliant rose-red gorget; metallic green above; buff belly; rufous tail; females green above
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
Broad-billed Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found from the southwestern US to Mexico. Males have an iridescent blue throat and green body with a distinctive coral-red bill with dark tip. Nectarivore of desert canyons, oak woodland, and gardens. Often attracts attention with its squeaky calls.
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.