Griffon Vulture vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Gyps fulvus compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Griffon Vulture | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gyps fulvus | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 260.0 cm (102.4 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 8500.0 g (299.83 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Griffon Vulture only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
None
Griffon Vulture
Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Griffon Vulture
Generally silent; hisses and grunts at carrion with other vultures. Gives low croaking 'arrr' near nest. At colonies produces cackling and grunting — not melodic vocalizations.
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
Griffon Vulture
Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Griffon Vulture
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Griffon Vulture
Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.
Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion
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
Griffon Vulture
The griffon vulture is one of Europe's largest flying birds and a crucial scavenger in Mediterranean ecosystems. These social birds nest in large cliff colonies and can soar for hours using thermals without flapping. Vulture populations faced a crisis from the veterinary drug diclofenac, which proved fatal when consumed through contaminated carcasses.
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.