Violet-fronted Brilliant vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Heliodoxa leadbeateri compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Violet-fronted Brilliant | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa leadbeateri | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.4 cm (5.3 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 7.183333333333334 g (0.25 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and Passiflora. Gleans small insects from … | 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
Violet-fronted Brilliant
Broad, resonant whistle with bold projection; deep pure tone ringing out powerfully across open montane forest.
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
Violet-fronted Brilliant
Widespread in Andean foothill and cloud forest from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 400–2,000 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Violet-fronted Brilliant
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Violet-fronted Brilliant
Rufous-shafted Woodstar: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; rufous-shafted tail; females green above; spots
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
Violet-fronted Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia at 400-2,200 m. Males have a brilliant violet forehead. Nectarivore of montane forest and forest edges. Widespread in the Andean foothills.
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.