Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Identification

The ruby-throated hummingbird is a diminutive species, measuring just 7 to 9 cm in length with a wingspan of 8 to 11 cm, and weighing only 2 to 6 grams. Adults display metallic green upperparts and grayish-white underparts, with near-black wings and a long, straight, slender bill reaching up to 2 cm. The species exhibits striking sexual dimorphism: males possess an iridescent ruby-red gorget (throat patch) bordered by velvety black, along with a forked black tail faintly tinged violet, while females have a notched tail banded in green, black, and white with a plain or lightly streaked white throat. Females are slightly larger than males with marginally longer bills. Juvenile males resemble females but typically display heavier throat markings.

Range & Habitat

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common hummingbird in eastern North America, with an estimated population of 34–36 million birds as of 2021. This highly migratory species breeds throughout most of the eastern United States and south-central and southeastern Canada, particularly Ontario, inhabiting deciduous and pine forests, forest edges, orchards, and gardens. It possesses the largest breeding range of any hummingbird species in the United States. During winter, the species retreats to Florida, southern Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies, with some populations ranging as far south as extreme western Panama. Remarkably, some birds undertake a nonstop 900-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean during migration.

Behaviour & Diet

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are fiercely territorial and solitary birds, with both males and females aggressively defending feeding territories against intruding hummingbirds. Males produce rapid, squeaky chirps primarily as territorial threats, and during courtship displays create distinctive rapid wing sounds—a tik-tik tik-tik pattern during shuttle flights and dives, sometimes accompanied by a faint whining sound produced with the outer tail feathers. Courtship interactions are extremely brief, lasting only minutes. Females alone build nests in protected locations within shrubs or trees and care for their offspring. During migration, older birds prepare more thoroughly for long-distance travel than first-year birds, accumulating higher body weights and larger fuel reserves.

Best Time & Places to See It

Spring and summer offer the best opportunities to observe ruby-throated hummingbirds throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, where they breed in woodlands, gardens, and orchards. As portions of the population migrate northward in spring from the Yucatan Peninsula, they arrive first in Florida and Louisiana before dispersing throughout their breeding range. During autumn migration, similar coastal regions along the northern Gulf of Mexico provide excellent viewing opportunities as birds prepare for their southward journey.

Photography Tips

Photographers should be aware that the male's brilliant ruby gorget is highly directional in its iridescence and appears dull black from many angles—positioning yourself to catch light reflecting off this patch is essential for capturing the throat's vibrant red coloration. The species' tiny size and rapid movements demand fast shutter speeds and careful focus tracking. Photographing these birds near flowering plants and feeders during breeding season in eastern forests and gardens will provide the best opportunities for sharp, colorful images of both males and females.