Slender-tailed Woodstar vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Microstilbon burmeisteri compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Slender-tailed Woodstar | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Microstilbon burmeisteri | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 6.0 cm (2.4 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.09 g (0.07 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of montane scrub, probing small tubular flowers. Catches spiders and minute flies to supply … | 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
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Soft, liquid descending cascade; gentle mellow notes flowing downward in quiet musical sequence at dawn.
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
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Found in arid scrub and woodland of central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina at 1,000-3,000 m. Resident and partial migrant.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Lucifer Sheartail: males with iridescent purple forked gorget extending to sides; metallic green above; females green above; spotted
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
Slender-tailed Woodstar
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in arid scrub and woodland of central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina at 1,000-3,000 m. Males have a slender, forked tail. Nectarivore of dry forest and garden flowers. Named after the German zoologist Hermann Burmeister.
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.