European Robin vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Erithacus rubecula compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | European Robin | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Erithacus rubecula | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Passeriformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Muscicapidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 14.0 cm (5.5 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 21.0 cm (8.3 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 18.0 g (0.63 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Insects, worms, and berries. Often follows gardeners and large animals to catch invertebrates disturbed from … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 4-7 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
European Robin
Woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens across Europe. Remarkably tame around humans, especially in Britain.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
European Robin
Exquisite, melancholic melody of thin whistled phrases, rising and falling softly. Rich, warbling song year-round; both sexes sing. Alarm call is a sharp 'tic-tic-tic'.
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
European Robin
Europe, western Asia, and parts of North Africa. Northern populations migrate south in winter; western European populations are largely resident.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
European Robin
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
European Robin
Olive-brown upperparts with a warm orange-red breast and face bordered by grey. White belly and undertail coverts.
Thin, pointed dark brown bill
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
European Robin
The European robin is one of the most beloved birds in Britain, where it is the unofficial national bird. Despite its friendly demeanor toward humans, robins are fiercely territorial against their own kind, singing year-round to defend territory. Their distinctive song is one of the first to be heard at dawn.
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.