Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Copper-tailed Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris compared with Saucerottia cupreicauda
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Copper-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Saucerottia cupreicauda |
| 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 | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) | 4.066666666666667 g (0.14 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Nectarivore specialising in tubular blossoms; supplements the floral nectar diet with tiny insects and spiders … |
| 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
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.
Copper-tailed Hummingbird
High, crystalline notes in animated ascending phrase; bright clear tones climbing smoothly in morning song.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Copper-tailed Hummingbird
Found in humid montane forests of Colombia at 1,000-2,200 m. A Colombian near-endemic with limited range.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Copper-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Copper-tailed Hummingbird
Unirufous Coucal: entirely rich rufous-brown above and below; dark graduated tail; red eye; uniformly rufous plumage; distinctive
About These Birds
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.
Copper-tailed Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in humid montane forests of Colombia at 1,000-2,200 m. Green plumage with a copper-colored tail. Nectarivore of cloud forest edges. A Colombian near-endemic with limited range.