Purple-chested Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Polyerata rosenbergi compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-chested Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polyerata rosenbergi | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | — | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.8 g (0.13 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | 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
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Soft, pure whistle with warm timbre; gentle sustained note barely wavering, given quietly from forest perch.
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
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Found in humid Pacific lowland forests from eastern Panama to western Ecuador. Resident in Chocó forest.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-chested Hummingbird
Sumatran Ground-cuckoo: dark glossy green above; rufous-buff below; blue facial skin; long tail; massive bill; Sumatra endemic
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
Purple-chested Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in humid Pacific lowland forests from eastern Panama to western Ecuador. Males have a rich purple breast patch. Nectarivore of Chocó forest edges. Named after the German zoologist William Rosenberg.
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.