Photo: Pslawinski / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) — Hummingbirds of North America.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 3.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Archilochus
- Species colubris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.1 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Male has an iridescent ruby-red throat gorget (looking black until it catches the light) and a forked black tail; female has a plain dull grayish-white throat and white-tipped outer tail feathers, both sexes metallic golden-green above and whitish below.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles resemble the female; young males show heavier throat streaking (a 'five-o'clock shadow') and may sprout a few red gorget feathers in late summer/fall.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA sc, se Canada and c, e USA.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.1 g, with a wing length of about 4.1 cm and a tail of around 2.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a very small bird that weighs around 3.1 g.
Where does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird live?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is found across North America with a range covering NA sc, se Canada and c, e USA, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird belong to?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird eat?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrate?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Ruby-throated Hummingbird make?
1 real field recording of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird's range?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a mapped global range of about 4.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
How to Attract Ruby-throated Hummingbird to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Ruby-throated Hummingbird to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (nectar), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.