Broad-tailed Hummingbird vs Rufous Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

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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

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

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The adult male has a white breast, rufous face, flanks and tail, and an iridescent orange-red throat patch or gorget. Some males have some green on their back and/or crown. The female has green, white, and some iridescent orange feathers in the center of the throat, and a dark tail with white tips and a rufous base. The female is slightly larger than the male. Females and the rare green-backed males are difficult to differentiate from Allen's hummingbird.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Wendy McCrady · CC BY 4.0

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