Swallow-tailed Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eupetomena macroura compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Swallow-tailed Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eupetomena macroura | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 7.94 g (0.28 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Large, conspicuous nectarivore of Brazilian cerrado and gardens. Feeds at Erythrina and diverse blossoms; supplements … | 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
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
None
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
High, crystalline twittering with silvery sheen; rapid light notes cascading brightly in animated display.
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
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
Found in open habitats across eastern South America from the Guianas to Argentina. Resident in cerrado and gardens.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
Banded Ground-cuckoo: rufous-buff below with dark barring; dark olive above; blue facial skin; long tail; banded pattern below
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
Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
A large hummingbird (15-17 cm) found in open habitats across eastern South America from the Guianas to Argentina. Iridescent blue-green plumage with a deeply forked, swallow-like tail. Nectarivore of gardens, cerrado, and forest edges. Often seen perching conspicuously on exposed branches.
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.