Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs Southern Cassowary
Archilochus colubris comparé à Casuarius casuarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Southern Cassowary |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Archilochus colubris | Casuarius casuarius |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Casuariiformes |
| Famille | Trochilidae | Casuariidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 8,5 cm (3.3 in) | 155,0 cm (61.0 in) |
| Envergure | 11,0 cm (4.3 in) | 60,2 cm (23.7 in) |
| Poids | 3,1 g (0.11 oz) | 58000,0 g (2045.89 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … | Primarily fallen fruit from the rainforest floor, also fungi, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. A critical … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2 | 3-8 |
| 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.
Southern Cassowary
Tropical rainforests, mangroves, and adjacent habitat in New Guinea and northeastern Australia.
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.
Southern Cassowary
Produces very deep, booming rumbles and low-frequency calls below 20 Hz (infrasound), felt more than heard. Also gives loud bellowing grunts audible up to 1 km away.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Southern Cassowary
New Guinea, nearby islands, and northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Statut de conservation
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Southern Cassowary
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
Southern Cassowary
Glossy black hair-like plumage. Brilliant blue and red bare skin on the head and neck. A large bony casque crowns the head. Vestigial wings with no flight feathers.
Long, laterally compressed, dark grey bill
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.
Southern Cassowary
The southern cassowary is often called the most dangerous bird in the world due to its powerful legs and dagger-like inner claw that can reach 12 cm in length. Despite this reputation, cassowaries are vital rainforest keystone species, dispersing seeds of plants that no other animal can. The purpose of their distinctive casque remains debated.