Arctic Tern vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Sterna paradisaea comparé à Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Arctic Tern | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Sterna paradisaea | Archilochus colubris |
| Ordre | Charadriiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Laridae | Trochilidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 34,0 cm (13.4 in) | 8,5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Envergure | 80,0 cm (31.5 in) | 11,0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Poids | 110,0 g (3.88 oz) | 3,1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-3 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Aucun(e)
Arctic Tern only
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
Arctic Tern
Breeds on coastal and tundra habitats. Spends most of its life at sea over the open ocean. Nests in colonies on beaches and rocky shores.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Song & Call Comparison
Arctic Tern
A sharp, grating 'kree-yah' alarm call. Also gives 'kik-kik-kik' near the nest. Highly aggressive vocally during the Arctic breeding season. Calls are harsh and insistent.
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Arctic Tern
Breeds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Migrates to the Antarctic, experiencing two summers per year. Found on every ocean.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Statut de conservation
Arctic Tern
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Arctic Tern
Pale grey upperparts, white underparts with a black cap. Blood-red bill and short red legs. Deeply forked tail streamers. Winter adults lose the full black cap.
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
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
About These Birds
Arctic Tern
The Arctic tern holds the record for the longest known migration of any animal, traveling roughly 70,000 km annually from Arctic to Antarctic and back. Over its 30-year lifespan, it may fly the equivalent of three round trips to the Moon. This remarkable bird experiences more daylight than any other creature on Earth.
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.