Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Crowned Woodnymph
Archilochus colubris compared with Thalurania colombica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Crowned Woodnymph |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Archilochus colubris | Thalurania colombica |
| 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) | 10.5 cm (4.1 in) |
| Weight | 3.1 g (0.11 oz) | 4.34 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Feeds on nectar from understory herbs and epiphytes in humid forest. Supplements diet 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.
Crowned Woodnymph
Sharp, crackling chatter with percussive quality; rapid dry notes delivered forcefully during active territory defense.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Crowned Woodnymph
Found in humid forests from Guatemala to Peru. Resident in lowland and montane forests on both slopes of the Andes.
Conservation Status
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Crowned Woodnymph
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
Crowned Woodnymph
White-quilled Bustard: males with white wing quills visible in flight; brown-vermiculated above; pale below; black belly band
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.
Crowned Woodnymph
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in humid forests from Guatemala to Peru. Males have a brilliant violet-blue crown and green body. Nectarivore of forest and forest edges. One of the most common woodnymph hummingbirds in Central and South America.