Dusky-throated Hermit vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Phaethornis squalidus compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dusky-throated Hermit | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis squalidus | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds mainly on floral nectar, hovering at flowers; catches small arthropods for protein, especially during … | 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
Dusky-throated Hermit
Soft, flowing trill with liquid quality; gentle modulation of tone creating pleasant musical effect in humid forest shade.
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
Dusky-throated Hermit
Found in southeastern Brazil in the Atlantic Forest from Bahia south to São Paulo. Resident in dense humid forest up to 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
Dusky-throated Hermit
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Dusky-throated Hermit
Tiny; green-bronze upperparts; pale buff underparts; dusky grey-brown throat contrasting with paler belly; pale supercilium; white-tipped elongated central tail feathers; small hermit with distinctively darkened throat region.
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
Dusky-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Dusky throat with fine streaking, green upperparts, and rufous underparts. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth. Visits small flowers of Costus and Heliconia. An Atlantic Forest endemic.
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.