Black-crested Coquette vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Lophornis helenae compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-crested Coquette | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lophornis helenae | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 7.9 cm (3.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.7 g (0.10 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Central American foothill forest. Defends small flower patches; supplements with tiny arthropods. | 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
Black-crested Coquette
Rapid, mechanical twittering cascade; quick staccato notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above flowering trees.
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
Black-crested Coquette
Found from southern Mexico through Central America to western Colombia in lowland and foothill forest. 0–1,200 m.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Black-crested Coquette
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-crested Coquette
Bee Hummingbird: world's smallest bird; males with glittering blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; females plain green above
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
Black-crested Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7 cm) found in humid forests from southern Mexico through Central America to Belize and Guatemala. Males have an elongated black crest and white tail-band. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges. Uncommon and inconspicuous.
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.