Bee Hummingbird vs Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Mellisuga helenae comparado com Archilochus colubris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Bee Hummingbird | Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Nome científico | Mellisuga helenae | Archilochus colubris |
| Ordem | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Família | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Estado de conservação | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Comprimento | — | 8,5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Envergadura | 5,6 cm (2.2 in) | 11,0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Peso | 2,1 g (0.07 oz) | 3,1 g (0.11 oz) |
| Dieta | World's smallest bird; feeds on nectar from tiny Cuban flowers and catches minuscule spiders and … | Nectar from tubular flowers, supplemented with small insects and spiders for protein. Feeds at over … |
| Tamanho da postura | 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
Bee Hummingbird
Pure, bell-like descending phrase; clear resonant tones stepping smoothly down in musical sequence at dusk.
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
Bee Hummingbird
Endemic to Cuba. Found across the island in forests, gardens, and coastal vegetation from sea level to moderate elevations.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Winters in Central America and southern Mexico.
Estado de conservação
Bee Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Bee Hummingbird
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
Bee Hummingbird
The world's smallest bird (5-6 cm, 1.6-2 g). Endemic to Cuba. Males have an iridescent pink-red throat. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Weighs less than a US dime. Heart beats 1,200 times per minute. Lays the world's smallest bird eggs (6 mm).
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.