White-necked Jacobin vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Florisuga mellivora compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-necked Jacobin | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Florisuga mellivora | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.6 cm (5.4 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 7.666666666666667 g (0.27 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar generalist visiting a wide range of forest flowers; also catches small arthropods by aerial … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 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
White-necked Jacobin
High, insect-like buzzing sustained for several seconds; thin monotone delivered continuously during hovering display flight.
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
White-necked Jacobin
Found from Mexico south through Central America to Venezuela, Trinidad, and the western Amazon. Common in lowland forest edge and gardens.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
White-necked Jacobin
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
White-necked Jacobin
Males vivid blue head and throat; white nape and hindneck contrasting sharply with blue; white belly; green back; white tail with dark terminal band; females brown above, spotted below; bold …
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
White-necked Jacobin
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) with a dazzling white breast, deep blue hood, and green back. Found from Mexico to Brazil and Trinidad. Male's brilliant white neck and chest are striking in flight. Nectarivore of forest canopy, visiting a wide variety of tropical flowers.
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.