Birds · Apodiformes · Trochilidae

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the only hummingbird that breeds in eastern North America. It migrates non-stop across more than 800 km of the Gulf of Mexico.

Weight

3 g – 4 g

Size

7 cm – 9 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Nectarivore

Feeds mainly on flower nectar.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

Its heart can beat up to 1,200 times a minute in flight.
It migrates non-stop for more than 800 km across the Gulf of Mexico.
It feeds on nectar, taking small insects for protein.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised, very light bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Woodland, gardens and open country of eastern North America; winters in southern Mexico and Central America as far as Costa Rica
Birth weight: ~0.62 grams at hatching
Size at birth: They hatch blind and featherless (altricial)
Sexual maturity: ~1 year old
Gestation / incubation: 10 - 14 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 3 eggs per clutch (usually 2); up to 3 broods a year

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; NatureWorks NHPBS; A-Z Animals; Audubon Field Guide; BioKIDS; Birds of the World