Dot-eared Coquette vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Lophornis gouldii compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dot-eared Coquette | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lophornis gouldii | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 7.6 cm (3.0 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.533333333333333 g (0.09 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting compact flower heads and small tubular blooms at forest margins. Takes small insects … | 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
Dot-eared Coquette
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft, slightly nasal tone held briefly then gently fading away.
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
Dot-eared Coquette
Endemic to central Brazil in the cerrado zone of Maranhão, Piauí, and Tocantins. Found at 200–700 m elevation.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Dot-eared Coquette
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Dot-eared Coquette
Sword-billed Hummingbird: males with extraordinarily long bill; glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; females green with spots
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
Dot-eared Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) endemic to central Brazil. Males have spotted ear tufts and rufous crest. Green plumage. Nectarivore of cerrado and gallery forest edges. Named after John Gould. A rare Brazilian endemic; relatively little known ecologically.
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.