Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris compared with Saucerottia edward
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Snowy-bellied Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Saucerottia edward |
| 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) | 4.92 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Feeds on floral nectar in dry Pacific Panamanian scrub. Supplements diet with small insects and … |
| 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.
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
Sharp, crackling trill with percussive edge; rapid dry notes delivered forcefully near territory boundary.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
Found in humid forests from Costa Rica to Colombia. Resident primarily on the Pacific slope of Central America.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Snowy-bellied 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
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
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.
Snowy-bellied Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in humid forests from Costa Rica to Colombia. White belly, green body. Nectarivore of forest edges and gardens. Found primarily on the Pacific slope of Central America and Colombia.