Red-tailed Hawk vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Buteo jamaicensis compared with Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-tailed Hawk | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Buteo jamaicensis | Archilochus colubris |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 124.0 cm (48.8 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 1080.0 g (38.10 oz) | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Red-tailed Hawk only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
None
Red-tailed Hawk
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Red-tailed Hawk
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
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
Red-tailed Hawk
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Conservation Status
Red-tailed Hawk
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Red-tailed Hawk
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark hooked bill with a yellow cere
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
Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.
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.