Hoopoe vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Upupa epops compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hoopoe | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Upupa epops | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Bucerotiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Upupidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 46.0 cm (18.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 62.0 g (2.19 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Insects and larvae probed from the ground, especially beetle grubs, crickets, and caterpillars. Occasionally takes … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 2-12 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Hoopoe
Open woodland, orchards, vineyards, parkland, and grassland with bare or sparsely vegetated ground for foraging.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Hoopoe
The eponymous call: a soft, far-carrying 'oop-oop-oop', repeated in triplets or quadruplets. Given from a hidden perch; mellow and flute-like. Contact call is a thin 'cherrr'.
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
Hoopoe
Europe, Asia, and Africa. Northern populations are migratory. A widespread species across the Old World.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Hoopoe
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Hoopoe
Pinkish-brown body with dramatically barred black and white wings and tail. Long, erectile, fan-shaped crest tipped with black. Undulating butterfly-like flight.
Long, thin, slightly decurved bill for probing soil
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
Hoopoe
The hoopoe is one of the most distinctive birds in the Old World with its striking zebra-patterned wings and extravagant crest. It is the national bird of Israel and features prominently in mythology from ancient Egypt to the Quran. Hoopoe nests produce a foul-smelling secretion that deters predators.
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.