Scissor-tailed Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Hylonympha macrocerca compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Scissor-tailed Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hylonympha macrocerca | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.3 cm (5.2 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 7.25 g (0.26 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Venezuelan cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and diverse forest flowers. Catches small insects near … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 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
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note repeated rapidly; clean staccato delivery with rising intensity during territorial display.
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
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to the Paria Peninsula of northeastern Venezuela in cloud forest at 700–1,200 m. Critically endangered.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
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
Scissor-tailed Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm plus elongated tail in males, total 18-20 cm) endemic to the Paria Peninsula of northeastern Venezuela. Males have deeply forked, scissor-like tail streamers. Nectarivore of humid montane forest. Classified as Endangered.
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.