Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Azure-crowned Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris compared with Saucerottia cyanocephala
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Azure-crowned Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Saucerottia cyanocephala |
| 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) | 5.599999999999999 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Feeds on nectar from dry Mexican highlands; supplements with small insects and spiders gleaned from … |
| 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.
Azure-crowned Hummingbird
Rapid, light twittering with bright crystalline quality; airy notes cascading freely in animated aerial display.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Azure-crowned Hummingbird
Found in humid montane forests from Mexico to Honduras at 800-2,500 m. Resident in Central American highlands.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Azure-crowned 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
Azure-crowned Hummingbird
Short-toed Coucal: shorter-tailed; dark brown above; rufous wings; buff below with dark streaking; red eye; secretive habits
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.
Azure-crowned Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in humid montane forests from Mexico to Honduras at 800-2,500 m. Green plumage with an azure-blue crown (males). Nectarivore of cloud forest edges and gardens. One of the most common highland hummingbirds in Mesoamerica.