Glowing Puffleg vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eriocnemis vestita compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Glowing Puffleg | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocnemis vestita | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.716666666666666 g (0.17 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Ecuadorian Ericaceae-rich shrublands. Supplements nectar with small arthropods near blooms. | 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
Glowing Puffleg
High, thin chip note with sibilant ending; soft twittering sequence given quietly during foraging near Andean 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
Glowing Puffleg
Widespread in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,800–3,400 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Glowing Puffleg
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Glowing Puffleg
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
Glowing Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Peru at 2,400-3,500 m. Bright green plumage with conspicuous white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and gardens. One of the most common and widespread puffleg species.
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.