Buffy Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Leucippus fallax compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buffy Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucippus fallax | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.533333333333334 g (0.20 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 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
Buffy Hummingbird
Thin, sibilant buzz with wavering quality; soft high trill with gentle tremolo near blossoming shrubs.
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
Buffy Hummingbird
Found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Resident in desert-like coastal environments.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Buffy Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Buffy Hummingbird
Greater Roadrunner: brown-streaked above; white below with dark streaks; bare blue-red orbital skin; long tail; shaggy crest; runs fast
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
Buffy Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Buffy-brown plumage, drab for a hummingbird. Nectarivore of arid scrub, cactus flowers, and gardens. One of the few hummingbirds adapted to dry, desert-like environments.
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.