Violet-Crowned Hummingbird vs Rufous Hummingbird

Violet-Crowned Hummingbird

Leucolia violiceps

How to recognise a violet-crowned hummingbird?

General appearance

The violet-crowned hummingbird stands out for its vibrant violet-blue crown which contrasts brightly with its white underparts. Its back and tail are a shiny green, and its straight, slender bill is predominantly reddish with a black tip.

Male vs female

Both male and female violet-crowned hummingbirds share similar plumage, a rarity among hummingbirds. The main difference lies in size, with females being slightly larger, and in tail shape, with females having rounded tail feathers and males having forked ones.

Juvenile

Juvenile violet-crowned hummingbirds are similar to adults but their plumage is duller. Their crowns might not possess the distinctive violet hue until they mature. They can be recognized by the presence of buffy feather tips on their back and wing coverts.

Size

3.9 - 4.5 in/0.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The violet-crowned hummingbird prefers broadleaf forests and scrublands in northwestern Mexico and south-western United States.

Additional range

Despite its preference for warmer climates, this bird has been spotted in unexpected areas, including cooler, mountainous regions.

Range Map

What do violet-crowned hummingbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The violet-crowned hummingbird primarily feeds on nectar from various flowering plants such as agave, ocotillo, and desert willow. It also consumes small insects and spiders, which provide essential proteins and nutrients necessary for growth and energy.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, this hummingbird commonly consumes a solution of sugar and water, which mimics the nectar found in flowers. They are attracted to brightly colored feeders, especially those in red and orange hues, as these colors resemble natural blooms.

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Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

How to recognise a rufous hummingbird?

General appearance

The rufous hummingbird measures about the length of 3 1/2 inches or 9 cm, similar to a sparrow. It boasts an array of colors: black, green, orange, red, and white. Its wing and tail shapes are varied, being narrow, rounded, and short, with multiple points, notches, rounded edges, and square tips.

Male vs female

The adult male is distinguished by a bright coppery rufous color above with a dark throat that glistens red in favorable light. In contrast, females and young sport a green back, a spotted throat with an orange-buff wash on their sides and at the tail's base, presenting a more variegated look.

Juvenile

Juvenile rufous hummingbirds share similar physical attributes with the females, with a green back, a spotted throat, and an orange-buff wash on the sides and tail base. It is likely these colors help them blend into their surroundings for protection, since their eye-catching adult coloration is not yet developed.

Size

3.5 - 3.9 in/0.1 - 0.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The rufous hummingbird primarily inhabits forest edges, brushy second growth areas, and mountain meadows within northern coast and mountain regions.

Additional range

Additional habitats include streamsides and lowlands during spring migration. The bird winters mainly in pine-oak woods in Mexico, and is found in mountain meadows during late summer and fall migrations.

Range Map

What do rufous hummingbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The rufous hummingbird primarily feeds on nectar and insects. It takes nectar from flowers and also feeds on tiny insects. Common flowers visited include red tubular flowers such as penstemons, red columbines, paintbrush, scarlet sage, and gilia.

Bird feeders

In addition to natural sources, the rufous hummingbird will also consume sugar-water mixtures provided in hummingbird feeders.

What does a rufous hummingbird sound like?

The rufous hummingbird's vocalizations are characterized by a sudden, high-pitched 'zeee' sound, along with various thin, squealing notes. The call pattern presented by this bird is typically flat. Notable call types include chirp or chip notes and trills. These sounds present a distinctive and easily recognisable acoustic profile, a representative sonic signature of this unique bird species.

Call

Audio by Richard E. Webster

/ CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

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Violet-Crowned Hummingbird

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Rufous Hummingbird

Violet-Crowned Hummingbird

Leucolia violiceps

General appearance

The violet-crowned hummingbird stands out for its vibrant violet-blue crown which contrasts brightly with its white underparts. Its back and tail are a shiny green, and its straight, slender bill is predominantly reddish with a black tip.

Male vs female

Both male and female violet-crowned hummingbirds share similar plumage, a rarity among hummingbirds. The main difference lies in size, with females being slightly larger, and in tail shape, with females having rounded tail feathers and males having forked ones.

Juvenile

Juvenile violet-crowned hummingbirds are similar to adults but their plumage is duller. Their crowns might not possess the distinctive violet hue until they mature. They can be recognized by the presence of buffy feather tips on their back and wing coverts.

Size

3.9 - 4.5 in/0.2 oz

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Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

General appearance

The rufous hummingbird measures about the length of 3 1/2 inches or 9 cm, similar to a sparrow. It boasts an array of colors: black, green, orange, red, and white. Its wing and tail shapes are varied, being narrow, rounded, and short, with multiple points, notches, rounded edges, and square tips.

Male vs female

The adult male is distinguished by a bright coppery rufous color above with a dark throat that glistens red in favorable light. In contrast, females and young sport a green back, a spotted throat with an orange-buff wash on their sides and at the tail's base, presenting a more variegated look.

Juvenile

Juvenile rufous hummingbirds share similar physical attributes with the females, with a green back, a spotted throat, and an orange-buff wash on the sides and tail base. It is likely these colors help them blend into their surroundings for protection, since their eye-catching adult coloration is not yet developed.

Size

3.5 - 3.9 in/0.1 - 0.2 oz

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How to tell the Violet-Crowned Hummingbird from the Rufous Hummingbird

Visual differences

The Violet-Crowned Hummingbird is slightly larger (4-4.5 inches, 0.18-0.20 oz) with a striking violet-blue crown and solid white underparts, featuring a long red bill with a black tip. In contrast, the Rufous Hummingbird is smaller (3.5-4 inches, 0.10-0.16 oz), displaying a rich coppery rufous coloring, especially in males, with a green back and a dark red throat. Both sexes of the Violet-Crowned have a similar plumage with shiny green backs and are generally more monochromatic compared to the varied, colorful appearance of the Rufous Hummingbird.

Key differences and behavior

The Violet-Crowned Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird exhibit notable behavioral differences. The Violet-Crowned Hummingbird (4-5 inches long, 0.18-0.2 oz) is less migratory and often sedentary, frequenting mid-elevation canyons with sycamore trees in the southeastern U.S. and Mexico. It feeds on nectar and insects and is attracted to bird feeders. It performs aerial displays for mating and nests near water sources. The Rufous Hummingbird (3.5 inches long, 0.1-0.16 oz), a long-distance migrant, travels up to 2,000 miles and is more aggressive. It occupies mountain meadows and forest edges, nesting in coniferous trees, and winters in Mexican pine-oak woods. Rufous males display by diving in U-shaped patterns and often mate with multiple females. Both species share nectar and insect diets but differ greatly in aggression, habitat preference, and migratory behaviors.