Velvet-browed Brilliant vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Heliodoxa xanthogonys compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Velvet-browed Brilliant | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa xanthogonys | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 6.833333333333333 g (0.24 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting Ericaceae, Fuchsia, and other montane flowers in Andean cloud forest. Takes small insects … | 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
Velvet-browed Brilliant
High, shrill screaming call with carrying quality; piercing notes audible at distance across open Andean hillsides.
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
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Endemic to the tepuis of Venezuela and adjacent Guyana and Brazil in high-altitude forest. 1,200–2,600 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Velvet-browed Brilliant
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
Velvet-browed Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana. Green plumage with a velvety dark forehead. Nectarivore of tepui forest edges. A Pantepui endemic of very restricted range. Poorly studied.
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.