Class Aves
Order Hummingbirds
Family Hummingbirds
Genus Archilochus

North American field guide

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

8-10 cm (3-4") Common. Only hummingbird in most of eastern North America. Suburban gardens, cottages, parks, tubular flowers, woodlands, streams and lake edges.

Male: green above; brilliant iridescent red throat which may appear black in poor light; black chin; white breast and belly; greenish sides; dark forked tail.

Female or Immature: green above; white throat; grayish white breast and belly; buffy wash on sides; blunt or rounded tail with white spots.

May hover or fly backwards.

Song: rapid squeaky twittering; wings hum.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

5 photos

Credit: Gordilly

Credit: Larry Bond

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird in flight

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: chrisdupe

Credit: thefixer

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Intelligence

Credit: Larry Bond

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Portrait

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 8 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female or Immature)

4 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 6

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:446-ruby-throated-hummingbird-female-or-immature:1:1 Source: 446 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female or Immature), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 3

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:446-ruby-throated-hummingbird-female-or-immature:2:1 Source: 446 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female or Immature), row 2

Rule 3 13 criteria confidence 1

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:446-ruby-throated-hummingbird-female-or-immature:3:1 Source: 446 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female or Immature), row 3

Rule 4 13 criteria confidence 1

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:446-ruby-throated-hummingbird-female-or-immature:4:1 Source: 446 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female or Immature), row 4

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Male)

4 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 6

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:445-ruby-throated-hummingbird-male:1:1 Source: 445 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Male), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 3

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:445-ruby-throated-hummingbird-male:2:1 Source: 445 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Male), row 2

Rule 3 13 criteria confidence 1

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:445-ruby-throated-hummingbird-male:3:1 Source: 445 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Male), row 3

Rule 4 13 criteria confidence 1

What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Green · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?: Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?: About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:445-ruby-throated-hummingbird-male:4:1 Source: 445 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Male), row 4