Pale-bellied Hermit vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Phaethornis anthophilus compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Pale-bellied Hermit | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis anthophilus | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.166666666666667 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore adapted to curved corolla flowers via trap-lining. Supplements nectar with small spiders caught near … | 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
Pale-bellied Hermit
Soft, pure tones in slow deliberate sequence; each note clearly separated, musical and unhurried, issued at twilight.
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
Pale-bellied Hermit
Found in northern Colombia and Venezuela in dry deciduous forest and scrub. Sea level to 1,000 m elevation.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Pale-bellied Hermit
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Pale-bellied Hermit
Baron's Hermit: sooty brown overall; buffy-white supercilium; pale-streaked throat; rufous belly patch; elongated decurved black bill
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
Pale-bellied Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (12-14 cm) found in dry forests and scrublands of Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Pale belly, green upperparts, and a long curved bill. Nectarivore of dry forest undergrowth and edges. One of the few hermits adapted to arid habitats.
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.