Mountain Velvetbreast vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Lafresnaya lafresnayi compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Velvetbreast | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lafresnaya lafresnayi | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.6 g (0.20 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan Andean cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and Fuchsia. Gleans small arthropods … | 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
Mountain Velvetbreast
Sharp, staccato chips in rapid sequence; clean emphatic notes delivered with rising intensity near territorial dispute.
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
Mountain Velvetbreast
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,400–3,200 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Mountain Velvetbreast
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Velvetbreast
Rufous-capped Thornbill: males with ruby gorget; metallic green; rufous-capped; females green above; spotted buff underparts; tiny
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
Mountain Velvetbreast
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Peru at 2,000-3,500 m. Males have a velvety black breast with green iridescence. Long, slightly decurved bill. Nectarivore of montane forest, visiting Ericaceae and Fuchsia flowers.
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.