Rufous-breasted Hermit vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Glaucis hirsutus compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-breasted Hermit | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Glaucis hirsutus | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 6.533333333333334 g (0.23 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar-dependent hummingbird harvesting energy-rich floral rewards; dietary protein from 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
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Soft, high squeaking notes in loose sequence; gentle twittering with intermittent pauses, barely carrying beyond close range.
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
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Found from Trinidad and the Guianas south through Amazonia, and coastal regions from Colombia to Brazil. Resident in 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
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-breasted Hermit
Bronze-green upperparts; rich rufous-orange breast and flanks contrasting with whitish belly; pale supercilium; rufous tail with dark subterminal band; widespread Neotropical hermit with brighter rufous breast than Bronzy Hermit.
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
Rufous-breasted Hermit
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-12 cm) found in humid forests and mangroves from Central America to Brazil and Trinidad. Green plumage with rufous breast and curved bill. Nectarivore visiting Heliconia, bananas, and other large-flowered tropical plants in forest undergrowth.
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.