Bahama Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Nesophlox evelynae compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bahama Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox evelynae | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.85 g (0.10 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Bahamian scrub, visiting diverse flowering plants. Takes small insects and spiders to supplement … | 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
Bahama Hummingbird
Thin, insect-like buzz with monotone quality; continuous high-frequency trill barely distinguishable from insects.
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
Bahama Hummingbird
Endemic to the Bahamas archipelago. Resident across the islands in scrub, gardens, and forest edges at low elevations.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Bahama Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Bahama Hummingbird
Fork-tailed Emerald: males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; forked tail; white underparts; females green; 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
Bahama Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) endemic to the Bahamas. Green plumage with a rose-pink gorget (males) and forked tail. Nectarivore of scrub and garden flowers across the archipelago. The most common hummingbird in the Bahamas.
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.