Purple-throated Carib vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eulampis jugularis compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-throated Carib | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eulampis jugularis | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 9.316666666666666 g (0.33 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Caribbean island forests; bill adapted to visit Heliconia and Brugmansia. Takes small arthropods … | 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
Purple-throated Carib
Thin, sibilant twittering with airy quality; light high notes cascading softly in relaxed sequence near 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
Purple-throated Carib
Found throughout the Lesser Antilles from Saba to Grenada. Prefers mature forest and flowering trees. Sea level to 800 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Purple-throated Carib
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-throated Carib
Turquoise-throated Puffleg: iridescent violet crown; glittering turquoise gorget; metallic green back; white leg puffs; females duller
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
Purple-throated Carib
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) endemic to the Lesser Antilles from Saba to St. Vincent. Males have iridescent purple throat and green body. Nectarivore of montane forest and gardens. Larger and more aggressive than Green-throated Carib, dominating flower territories.
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.