White-throated Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Leucochloris albicollis compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-throated Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucochloris albicollis | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.95 g (0.21 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Visits flowering trees and epiphytes for nectar; supplements diet with small arthropods including gnats, midges, … | 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
Shared Habitats
White-throated Hummingbird only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
None
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
White-throated Hummingbird
Melodic, ascending three-note phrase; clear flute-like tones rising smoothly in pleasant morning territorial song.
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
White-throated Hummingbird
Found from eastern Brazil through Uruguay to Argentina and Paraguay. Resident in Atlantic Forest and cerrado edges.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
White-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
White-throated Hummingbird
Black Coucal: males glossy black overall; red eye; long dark tail; females rufous-brown above; pale below; strongly dimorphic species
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
White-throated Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found from eastern Brazil through Uruguay to Argentina and Paraguay. Green plumage with a clean white throat and breast. Nectarivore of Atlantic Forest edges, cerrado, and gardens. Common in southeastern South America.
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.