Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Least Concern

Archilochus colubris

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About

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a small, migratory hummingbird species native to eastern North America. Known for its iridescent plumage and rapid wing beats, it is a common and beloved visitor to gardens and feeders. Males are easily identified by their brilliant ruby-red gorget, while females and juveniles lack this feature.

Size & lifespan

Length: 7-9 cm (2.8-3.5 in)
Wingspan: 8-11 cm (3.1-4.3 in)
Weight: 2-6 g (0.07-0.21 oz)
Lifespan: 3-5 years (up to 9 years recorded)
Diet: Nectarivore (primarily nectar from flowers and feeders), Insectivore (small insects and spiders)

Physical characteristics

Plumage: Males have iridescent green backs and flanks, a white belly, and a brilliant, iridescent ruby-red gorget (throat patch) that can appear black in poor light. Females and juveniles have iridescent green backs, white underparts, and lack the ruby gorget; their throats are typically white or pale buff, sometimes with faint dusky streaking. Both sexes have a forked tail, though it is more deeply forked in males.
Beak shape: Long, slender, straight, and needle-like, black in color, adapted for probing deep into flowers.
Eye color: Dark brown to black.
Leg color: Dark gray to black, very short and weak, primarily used for perching.
Distinguishing features: The male's vibrant ruby-red gorget is unmistakable. The small size, rapid wing beat (up to 50-80 beats/second), and hovering flight are characteristic of all hummingbirds. The relatively short, slightly forked tail is a key feature for distinguishing it from other hummingbirds in its range.
Juvenile appearance: Juvenile males resemble adult females, having a white throat, sometimes with dusky streaking. Young males may begin to show a few iridescent red feathers on their throat by late summer or early fall. Juvenile females are very similar to adult females.
Seasonal changes: No significant seasonal plumage changes beyond the development of the gorget in young males. Breeding and non-breeding plumages are essentially the same.
Sexual dimorphism: Pronounced. Males possess a bright ruby-red gorget and a more deeply forked tail. Females lack the gorget and have a white throat, often with dusky streaking, and a less deeply forked tail with white tips on the outer tail feathers.

How to identify

1
Size and Shape
Very small, compact body with a relatively short tail and long, straight bill. Typical hummingbird shape.
2
Male Plumage
Look for the iridescent ruby-red throat (gorget) that can appear black in certain light, contrasting with a white belly and iridescent green back. Tail is deeply forked.
3
Female/Juvenile Plumage
Look for iridescent green back, white underparts, and a plain white or pale buff throat (sometimes with faint dusky streaking). Tail is less deeply forked than males, with white tips on outer tail feathers.
4
Flight Style
Rapid, buzzing wing beats and ability to hover, fly backward, and change direction instantly. Often seen darting quickly between flowers or feeders.
5
Vocalizations
Listen for sharp 'chew' or 'chip' calls, especially during territorial interactions. The buzzing sound of their wings is also distinctive.
6
Geographic Range
If observed in eastern North America, especially during the breeding season, it is almost certainly a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, as it is the only regularly breeding species in this region.

Habitat & range

Biomes: Temperate forests, woodlands, suburban gardens, parks, orchards, meadows, and forest edges.
Geographic range: Breeds across eastern North America, from southern Canada (Alberta to Nova Scotia) south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Winters primarily in southern Florida, Mexico, and Central America (from southern Mexico to northern Panama).
Elevation range: Typically found from sea level up to approximately 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), though occasionally higher during migration.
Preferred environments: Prefers areas with abundant flowering plants for nectar and trees/shrubs for perching and nesting. Often found near water sources. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes, especially gardens with feeders.

Behavior

Activity time: Diurnal, most active during daylight hours, particularly in the morning and late afternoon when flowers are most productive.
Feeding habits: Feeds primarily on nectar from a wide variety of tubular flowers, especially red or orange ones. Also consumes small insects and spiders, which provide essential protein, especially for growing young. They use their long, grooved tongue to lap up nectar. They are often seen hovering at flowers or feeders.
Social behavior: Generally solitary and highly territorial, especially around food sources (flowers, feeders). Males will aggressively defend their feeding territories from other hummingbirds and even larger insects. Females are also territorial around their nests.
Flight pattern: Characterized by extremely rapid wing beats, allowing for precise hovering, backward flight, and sudden changes in direction. Flight is direct and swift, often accompanied by a distinctive buzzing sound from their wings.
Migration pattern: Long-distance migrant. Most individuals migrate annually, traveling thousands of miles between breeding and wintering grounds. They are the only hummingbird species that regularly breeds in eastern North America. They cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single, non-stop flight (approximately 18-22 hours). Spring migration occurs from March to May, and fall migration from August to October.
Territoriality: Highly territorial, especially males. They will chase away intruders from prime feeding areas, often engaging in aerial displays and vocalizations to assert dominance.

Song & calls

Song: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds do not have a complex song. Their vocalizations are primarily short, sharp calls.
Call: Common calls include a sharp, high-pitched 'chew' or 'chip' note, often given when chasing other hummingbirds or when agitated. During courtship displays, males produce a distinctive, high-pitched, whirring sound with their wings.
When they vocalize: Calls are given throughout the day, particularly during territorial disputes, feeding, and courtship. More vocal during the breeding season.

Breeding & reproduction

Breeding season: Typically late April to July, peaking in May and June.
Nesting habits: Females build tiny, cup-shaped nests, usually on a downward-sloping branch of a deciduous or coniferous tree, often camouflaged with lichens and bound together with spider silk. Nests are typically 3-6 meters (10-20 feet) above the ground. The nest is about the size of a golf ball.
Clutch size: Typically 2 eggs.
Egg description: Two tiny, pure white, elliptical eggs, each about the size of a small bean (approx. 13 x 8 mm).
Incubation period: 10-16 days, incubated solely by the female.
Fledging period: 18-22 days after hatching. Young are fed by the female.
Parental care: Only the female builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and feeds the young. Males play no role in nesting or raising offspring.

Where to find

Gardens and Backyards

Often attracted to gardens with nectar-rich flowers (especially red or orange tubular flowers) and hummingbird feeders.

Forest Edges and Open Woodlands

Common in the transitional zones between forests and open areas, where there is a mix of trees for nesting and flowers for feeding.

Parks and Orchards

Areas with a variety of flowering plants and trees provide suitable habitat.

Meadows and Fields

Can be found foraging in open areas with abundant wildflowers.

Field tips

Install Hummingbird Feeders. Use feeders filled with a solution of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. Avoid red dyes. Place feeders in visible, open areas, but also near cover.
Plant Nectar-Rich Flowers. Plant native tubular flowers, especially red, orange, or pink varieties, such as bee balm, cardinal flower, trumpet vine, and petunias.
Provide Water. Hummingbirds appreciate misters or shallow bird baths with moving water for bathing and drinking.
Be Patient and Still. Hummingbirds are fast and can be skittish. Sit quietly near feeders or flowers and wait for them to approach. Avoid sudden movements.
Look for Movement and Sound. Their rapid flight and buzzing wings often give them away before you see them. Watch for quick, darting movements.
Check During Migration. During spring and fall migration, their numbers can increase significantly, offering more opportunities for sightings.

Similar species

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Archilochus alexandri

Primarily found in western North America. Males have a black gorget with a thin iridescent purple band at the bottom, not ruby-red. Females and juveniles are very similar to Ruby-throated, but Black-chinned often have a slightly longer, more decurved bill and a less deeply forked tail. Geographic range is the primary differentiator.

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

Males are largely rufous (orange-brown) on the back and flanks with an iridescent orange-red gorget. Females have rufous flanks and some rufous on the tail. Rufous Hummingbirds are primarily western, though they can be found in the eastern US during migration, especially in late summer/fall. Their rufous coloration is a clear distinction.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

Males have a rose-magenta gorget and green back. Females are green-backed with rufous flanks. Found in western mountains. The male's wings produce a distinctive, loud trilling sound in flight, which is absent in Ruby-throated.

Quick facts

Fastest Heartbeat:: Up to 1,260 beats per minute.
Wing Beats:: 50-80 beats per second in normal flight, up to 200 during courtship dives.
Migration Distance:: Can travel up to 500 miles non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico.
Food Consumption:: Eats roughly half its body weight in sugar daily.
Smallest Bird:: One of the smallest bird species in North America.

Fun facts

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only hummingbird species that regularly breeds east of the Mississippi River in North America.
Despite their tiny size, they undertake an incredible migratory journey, often crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight, fueled by fat reserves.
Their iridescent gorget is not pigmented red, but rather the result of structural coloration, where microscopic air bubbles and melanin layers in the feathers refract light, making the color appear to change with the viewing angle.
Hummingbirds can enter a state of torpor, a deep sleep-like state, to conserve energy during cold nights or when food is scarce. Their metabolic rate can drop by as much as 95%.
They have excellent memory for food sources and will return to the same feeders and flower patches year after year.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Archilochus
Species: Archilochus colubris

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