ruby-throated hummingbird

bird

Also known as: Archilochus colubris

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is a small bird found in eastern North America. It is part of the hummingbird family (Trochilidae), known for their small size, rapid wing beats, and ability to hover.1

Key characteristics include:
* Appearance: Males have a bright metallic green back, whitish underparts, and a distinctive red throat. Females are similar but lack the red throat.2
* Flight: Hummingbirds possess unique wing structures allowing them to fly forward, backward, up, down, sideways, and hover. The ruby-throated hummingbird has a wing-beat rate of about 70 times per second for males and 50 for females.1
* Distribution and Migration: These hummingbirds nest in southern Canada and migrate to winter in Central America, as far south as Panama. Some undertake a nonstop flight across the Gulf of Mexico.3

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migration
In North America
The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) nests in southern Canada and winters in Central America as far south as Panama. Some of these birds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their food requirements, many American flycatchers (Tyrannidae), which are mainly insectivorous, have the same…
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The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) nests in southern Canada and winters in Central America as far south as Panama. Some of these birds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their food requirements, many American flycatchers (Tyrannidae), which are mainly insectivorous, have the same…
Read More