Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Range

The only hummingbird found consistently all over the Eastern U.S. and Canada.

Ruby-throats gather in Florida, Louisiana and along the South Texas coast in September in preparation for the final push to the south, either over the Gulf of Mexico or via an overland route through Mexico.

First arrivals in the spring, usually males, are back in Texas and Louisiana in late February to mid-March. In more northern states and Canadian provinces, first arrivals are not until April or May.

While most will migrate to Mexico and further south, some Ruby-throats do spend the winter along the U.S. Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida, and some along the southern Atlantic coastal regions.

Lifespan of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The average life span is estimated by experts to be 3 - 5 years. Most deaths occur in the first year of life. The record age of a banded ruby-throated hummingbird is 6 years, 11 months.

Characteristics and Identification

The adult male has a brilliant ruby red throat (gorget), black chin, and deeply notched, forked tail. Males use a repeating "pendulum" arch of flight to attract females.

The female's throat is white, and immatures are similar in color to the female. The female body is slender, with a blunt, rounded tail with white corners.

Very rare forms of Albino and white Leucistic Ruby-throated Hummingbirds do exist.

The Ruby-throated and Broad-tailed are similar in many ways. But they occupy separate ranges, Ruby-throats in the Eastern US and Broad-tails in the Western US.

The Ruby-throated and Black-chinned hummingbirds are also very similar, but have separate ranges. And the red gorget of the Ruby-throat can appear black in certain light and at certain angles, as seen in the comparison photos below.