Golden-breasted Puffleg vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eriocnemis mosquera compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-breasted Puffleg | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocnemis mosquera | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 14.6 cm (5.7 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.625 g (0.20 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian western Andes; visits dense Ericaceae blooms at mid-elevations. 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
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Sharp, emphatic chip note; single clean staccato sound repeated at intervals from prominent perch near nectar flowers.
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
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Found in high Andean páramo and upper cloud forest from Colombia to Ecuador at 2,800–4,000 m elevation.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Green-crowned Brilliant: males with glittering ruby gorget; metallic green crown; white postocular stripe; females green above; spotted
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
Golden-breasted Puffleg
A small hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Ecuador at 2,500-3,500 m. Males have an iridescent golden breast and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and páramo edges. An attractive and relatively conspicuous puffleg.
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.