Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Messager sagittaire
Archilochus colubris comparé à Sagittarius serpentarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Messager sagittaire |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Archilochus colubris | Sagittarius serpentarius |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Famille | Trochilidae | Sagittariidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Longueur | 8,5 cm (3.3 in) | 130,0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Envergure | 11,0 cm (4.3 in) | 210,0 cm (82.7 in) |
| Poids | 3,1 g (0.11 oz) | 3700,0 g (130.51 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Snakes, lizards, small mammals, and large insects. Hunts on foot, stomping prey to death with … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Ruby-throated Hummingbird only
Aucun(e)
Messager sagittaire only
Aucun(e)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Deciduous and mixed forests, woodland edges, gardens, and parks with flowering plants. Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico.
Messager sagittaire
Open grasslands, savannas, and light woodland across sub-Saharan Africa. Avoids dense forests and very arid regions.
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.
Messager sagittaire
A surprisingly deep, resonant croaking 'kowrr-kowrr' often heard at dawn on African savannas. Also gives pig-like grunting sounds. Mostly silent compared to true songbirds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Messager sagittaire
Sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Somalia south to South Africa. Resident throughout its range.
Statut de conservation
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Messager sagittaire
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
Messager sagittaire
Grey body plumage with black flight feathers and thigh feathers. Distinctive long black crest feathers trail from the back of the head. Orange-red bare facial skin.
Short, strong, hooked greyish bill with a yellowish cere
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.
Messager sagittaire
The secretary bird is the only raptor that hunts primarily on foot, striding through grasslands on crane-like legs up to 1.2 meters tall. Its name may derive from the crest feathers resembling quill pens tucked behind a secretary's ear. The species is classified as Endangered due to habitat loss and decline across much of its range.