Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Violet-chested Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris compared with Sternoclyta cyanopectus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Violet-chested Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Sternoclyta cyanopectus |
| 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) | 14.0 cm (5.5 in) |
| Weight | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) | 7.816666666666667 g (0.28 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Nectarivore of Venezuelan cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and large epiphyte flowers. Supplements with small arthropods. |
| 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.
Violet-chested Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged buzzing sound carrying well across Andean scrub habitat at low frequency.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Violet-chested Hummingbird
Found in humid montane forest of the coastal Cordillera and tepuis of Venezuela at 1,000–2,200 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Violet-chested 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
Violet-chested 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.
Violet-chested Hummingbird
A large hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to the coastal mountains of northern Venezuela at 900-2,500 m. Males have a striking violet-blue breast. Nectarivore of montane forest and coffee plantations. A range-restricted Venezuelan endemic.