Black-throated Hermit vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Phaethornis atrimentalis compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-throated Hermit | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis atrimentalis | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 7.7 cm (3.0 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.8 g (0.10 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of long-tubed lowland flowers, especially Heliconia. Gleans small insects and spiders from leaf surfaces. | 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-throated Hermit
Buzzy, insect-like trill with rapid modulation; high-frequency buzz sustained briefly then repeated after short pause.
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-throated Hermit
Found in Amazonian foothills of Ecuador, Peru, and far western Brazil at 200–1,200 m. Uncommon and patchily distributed.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Black-throated Hermit
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-throated Hermit
Pale-tailed Barbthroat: buffy-white underparts; olive-green above; distinct pale buff supercilium; long graduated tail; slightly decurved pink-based 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
Black-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in humid lowland forests from Colombia to Peru and western Brazil. Dark throat patch contrasting with pale underparts. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting small Heliconia and Costus flowers along forest streams.
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.