Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Purple-crowned Plovercrest
Archilochus colubris compared with Stephanoxis loddigesii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Purple-crowned Plovercrest |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Stephanoxis loddigesii |
| 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) | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) |
| Weight | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) | 3.2 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Hovering nectarivore of lowland and montane forest, probing Heliconia and garden flowers. Supplements with insects … |
| 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.
Purple-crowned Plovercrest
High, insect-like buzz sustained steadily; thin monotone with rapid modulation barely distinguishable from background insects.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Purple-crowned Plovercrest
Found in southeastern Brazil. Resident in Atlantic Forest edges and secondary growth. An Atlantic Forest near-endemic.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Purple-crowned Plovercrest
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
Purple-crowned Plovercrest
Fischer's Turaco: brilliant metallic green body; crimson crest; white facial streak; green orbital ring; crimson flight feathers
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.
Purple-crowned Plovercrest
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in southeastern Brazil. Males have a purple-violet crest. Nectarivore of Atlantic Forest edges and secondary growth. Recently split from Green-crowned Plovercrest. An Atlantic Forest near-endemic.