Broad-tailed Hummingbird vs Calliope Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

Tiny4 gForest

Medium in size, the broad-tailed hummingbird is 4 inches (10 cm) in length and possesses an overall wingspan of 5.25 inches (13.3 cm). Weighing around 3.6 grams (0.13 oz), the female tends to be slightly larger than the male. Adults of both sexes show an iridescent green back, white eye ring and a rounded black tail projecting beyond their wing tips, from which their name was inspired. This species shows sexual dimorphism, which means that male and female have different characteristics. The male possesses a characteristic bright rose-red gorget. Voice: The broad-tailed hummingbird produces several different sound patterns. This bird's call sounds like a sharp "cheet", which is repeated "cheet cheet cheet cheet...". Hummingbird wing beats have also been found to be a communication signal. These birds produce two different types of sound using their wing beat. The first one is a "wing hum" and is simply produced when the hummingbird flies.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lillie · CC BY 4.0

Calliope Hummingbird

Selasphorus calliope

Tiny3 gShrubland

The calliope is the smallest breeding bird found in Canada and the United States. An adult calliope hummingbird can measure 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length, span 11 cm (4.3 in) across the wings and weigh 2 to 3 g (0.071 to 0.106 oz). Calliope hummingbirds have glossy green on the back and crown with white underparts. The adult male has wine-red streaks on the gorget, green flanks, and a dark tail. When an adult male is competing for territory or females, the dark red feathers of its gorget distend outwards to create a more distinct appearance.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Dario · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Broad-tailed Hummingbird and Calliope Hummingbird.