Green Thorntail vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Discosura conversii compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green Thorntail | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Discosura conversii | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 8.4 cm (3.3 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting small flowers at forest canopy and edges. Forages in groups at flowering trees; … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 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
Green Thorntail
Pure, sustaining tone with bell-like quality; single clear note ringing firmly then slowly diminishing in open air.
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
Green Thorntail
Found in foothill and lower montane forest from Costa Rica south through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru. 300–1,500 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Green Thorntail
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Green Thorntail
Purple-backed Sunbeam: males with glittering emerald gorget; brilliant purple back; metallic green crown; females plain green with spots
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
Green Thorntail
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) with a long, wire-like tail extending to 10 cm total in males. Brilliant green plumage with white rump band. Found in humid forests from Costa Rica to western Ecuador. Nectarivore of forest canopy, hovering at tiny flowers. Fairy-like flight.
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.