Ruby-throated Hummingbird Bird Facts (Archilochus colubris)

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a tiny, iridescent green bird with a slender black bill and a forked tail. Males display a brilliant ruby-red throat patch, which can appear black in poor light.

Females and juveniles lack the red throat, instead showing a white throat and underparts. Both sexes have grayish-white flanks and a slightly darker forked tail with white tips on the outer feathers.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird can be found in Woodland habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird can be found in Garden habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird can be found in Urban habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are found in eastern North America, from central Canada to the Gulf Coast. They inhabit deciduous and pine forests, orchards, gardens, and urban areas with flowering plants.

During winter, they migrate to Central America and the Caribbean. In the United States, they are common from spring to early fall, with some individuals overwintering in the southern coastal areas.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Canada Mexico United States of America

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama

Species that pass through the area during migration

Cuba The Bahamas

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Bermuda Cayman Islands Dominican Republic Haiti Jamaica Saint Pierre and Miquelon

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds possess extraordinary agility, capable of hovering, flying backwards, and darting rapidly. Their ability to visit up to 1,000 flowers daily and perform intricate U-shaped courtship flights demonstrates remarkable manoeuvrability.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Despite their impressive flying abilities, these tiny birds have very little raw strength. Weighing only 2-6 grams, they rely more on speed and agility than physical power.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

These hummingbirds show high adaptability, thriving in various habitats from forests to urban gardens. Their ability to migrate long distances, even crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight, indicates significant environmental adaptability.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are notably aggressive for their size, fiercely defending feeding territories. They're often observed chasing away not only other hummingbirds but even larger birds, displaying a high level of territorial behaviour.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Their endurance is exceptional, particularly considering their size. The ability to fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico during migration (a 20-hour flight) and maintain a heart rate of up to 1,260 beats per minute during flight demonstrates remarkable stamina.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds primarily feed on nectar from flowers, using their long bills and specialized tongues. They also consume small insects and spiders for protein, often catching them in mid-air or plucking them from vegetation.

These birds require frequent feeding due to their high metabolism.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are known for their incredible flying abilities, including hovering and flying backwards. They are solitary and fiercely territorial, often seen chasing away other hummingbirds or even larger birds from feeding areas.

These birds have a high metabolism and must feed frequently, visiting up to 1,000 flowers daily.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds produce a variety of high-pitched chirps, squeaks, and twitters. Their vocalizations include a soft 'chee-dit' when feeding and a more aggressive 'tik-tik-tik' when defending territory.

The rapid beating of their wings creates a distinctive humming sound, which gives hummingbirds their name.

Breeding occurs from late spring to early summer. Males perform elaborate courtship displays, flying in U-shaped patterns to attract females.

Females construct tiny, cup-shaped nests using plant fibers, spider silk, and lichen on slender tree branches. They typically lay two white, pea-sized eggs.

Incubation lasts about 12-14 days, and nestlings fledge after 18-22 days. Females may raise two broods per season, with males playing no role in nesting or chick-rearing.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird typically lives for 3 to 5 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 9.1 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

While currently listed as Least Concern, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds face threats from habitat loss and climate change.

Conservation efforts focus on preserving nectar corridors along migration routes and encouraging the planting of native flowering plants in gardens and urban areas.

Look for them near nectar-rich flowers or hummingbird feeders
Listen for their high-pitched squeaks and the distinctive hum of their wings
Observe their hovering behavior and rapid darting movements
In the eastern United States, watch for them from spring to early fall

Main predators include domestic cats, small hawks, praying mantises, and large spiders. Blue Jays and other birds may prey on eggs and nestlings.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can fly at speeds up to 30 miles per hour (around 48 km/h).
They can cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single 20-hour flight during migration.
Their hearts can beat up to 1,260 times per minute during flight.

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