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Which hummingbird is the largest?

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Illustration of a chestnut-collared swift (Cypseloides rutilus) in flight, showing its dark brown body and wings with a distinctive reddish-brown collar around its neck. — Apodiform Chestnut-collared swift (*Cypseloides rutilus*)

The largest hummingbird species is the northern giant hummingbird (Patagona chaski), which inhabits the western slopes of the Andes Mountains in Ecuador and Peru. This species weighs approximately 21.7 g (0.8 ounce) and measures about 20 cm (7.8 inches) in length.1

Its close relative, the southern giant hummingbird (P. gigas), is only slightly smaller, weighing about 21.0 g (0.7 ounce). Both species are significantly larger than most other hummingbirds, which are generally very small or minute.1