# Ruby-throated Hummingbird (*Archilochus colubris*) The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a tiny bird known for its bright green back and sparkling red throat. These little birds are amazing fliers and can hover in one spot while they sip nectar from flowers. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 82 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Female_Ruby_Throated_Hummingbird.jpg&width=800) Photo: Pslawinski, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Ruby_Throated_Hummingbird.jpg) ## Appearance The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a tiny, iridescent bird with a bright emerald green back and whitish underparts. Males display a dazzling, fiery ruby-red throat patch, contrasting with the plain white throat of females and juveniles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Apodiformes - **Family:** Trochilidae - **Genus:** Archilochus ## Interesting facts - Their brain is only the size of a tiny pea, yet they are so smart! - Their tiny heart beats over 1,200 times per minute! - These birds enter a deep sleep called torpor to save energy at night. - They are the only hummingbird species to breed in eastern North America. ## Special abilities - **Aerial Acrobat:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird can hover perfectly in mid-air because of unique wing rotation, helping them drink nectar. - **Super Sipper:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a long, grooved tongue that helps them quickly lap up nectar from deep inside flowers. - **Energy Machine:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird can beat its tiny wings over 50 times per second to power its high-energy flight. - **Tiny Traveler:** Ruby-throated Hummingbird can fly thousands of kilometers non-stop, crossing oceans during migration. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 7-9 cm - **Wingspan:** 8-11 cm - **Weight:** 0.002-0.006 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2 - **Incubation:** 10-16 days - **Migration Distance:** 3200 km ## Diet & Feeding They mostly drink sweet flower nectar for energy and eat small insects for protein. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, small flies, gnats, spiders, tree sap - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Bee Balm](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bee-balm) (*Monarda didyma*) — Drinks nectar, transferring pollen between flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Argiope aurantia*) — Can be caught in large, strong spider webs. - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — Catches and eats small flying insects for protein. - **Shelter:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Nests are often built on thin branches of trees. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch hummingbirds from a distance and don't try to touch them, as they are very small and quick. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ruby-throated Hummingbird? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ruby-throated Hummingbird? 7-9 cm ### What is Ruby-throated Hummingbird's wingspan? 8-11 cm ### How much does Ruby-throated Hummingbird weigh? 0.002-0.006 kg ### How long does Ruby-throated Hummingbird live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Ruby-throated Hummingbird move? 50 km/h ### What does Ruby-throated Hummingbird eat? They mostly drink sweet flower nectar for energy and eat small insects for protein. ### Where is Ruby-throated Hummingbird usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Black Hawk State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-hawk-state-historic-site) — Illinois, US · Park - [Brandon Road Lock and Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandon-road-lock-and-dam) — Illinois, US · Historic Site - [Brattleboro Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brattleboro-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ruby-throated-hummingbird) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird)