Female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Male vs Female Identification)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (frog) is the most widespread of the fifteen American species of the Trochilidae family. Each year, the little birds migrate to breeding grounds in the eastern half of the United States and Canada. They are the only species of hummingbird that a bird watcher is likely to see most of the summer, although distinguishing males from females can be challenging.

So what does a female ruby-throated hummingbird look like?

The female ruby-throated hummingbird is a small bird with a long, straight beak, short tail, and very small feet and legs. They are metallic green on top and pale white underneath. Females usually differ from males by having a whitish throat and a rounded tail with white tips on the outer feathers.

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds are easy to tell from males if you can look closely. However, they also have some behavioral differences that can help careful birders identify them.

Female hummingbirds are notoriously difficult to distinguish from females of other species. Fortunately, you can rule out most other species based on their range.

Would you like to learn more about the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird? Read on to learn all about these energetic little birds.

Close-up shot of a ruby-throated hummingbird in mid-air

How do you know if a ruby-throated hummingbird is male or female?

The most obvious difference between male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds is the color of their throats. The male has a black face and a dark neck guard that reflects bright orange or ruby ​​in good light. Females have whitish throats and occasionally some red feathers.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds, like most members of their family, are sexually dimorphic. This trait is common in many bird species and means that males and females display distinct physical differences.

Interestingly, females also have slightly different voices in flight than males. Hovering females produce a softer, lower-pitched buzz than males.

Read on to learn more about what a female ruby-throated hummingbird looks like.

female ruby-throated hummingbird

male ruby-throated hummingbird

What does a female ruby-throated hummingbird look like?

The female ruby-throated bird is the quintessential hummingbird. These small birds usually hover around flowers and nectar feeders, but you may also see them sitting on tree branches. When perched, their short legs give the impression that they are lying on their stomachs.

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds have a two-toned appearance. They are metallic green in good light, with pale white on the throat, chest, belly and underside of the tail. Their long, straight beaks are black, as are their eyes and feet.

Females do not have a colorful throat or “pharynx” like males. However, many older females develop a handful of metallic red feathers over their throats.

While this can cause some confusion, looking closely at the bird’s tail can help you confirm its gender. Females have white tips on the outside of their tail feathers, while males do not. Females also have rounded tails, while males have a forked tail.

Female ruby-throated hummingbird hovering over fuchsia plant

female and teenage male

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds are very similar to juvenile males. However, they can be distinguished by comparing their tail shape and throat markings.

Adult female ruby-throated hummingbirds may have some light spots on their throats, while young males tend to have dark green spots or stripes until they grow their colorful throats.

Same species

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds can be confused with several other species of American hummingbirds. They’re the only hummingbirds you’re likely to see in most of the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada, but they overlap with the Texas black-jawed hummingbird and several other hummingbird species along the Gulf Coast.

Before confirming your identity, compare the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird to the following species:

• female rufous hummingbird
• female black-jawed hummingbird
• female broad-tailed hummingbird
• female organ hummingbird

Close-up of a juvenile male ruby-throated hummingbird

Are female ruby-throated hummingbirds larger than males?

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds are larger than males. The average weight difference may be only half a gram, but relative to their combined mass, it’s a lot. Females are generally larger in all respects, including beak, wing and leg length. However, males tend to have longer tails.

Ruby-throated hummingbird size range:

• span: 3.1 – 4.2 inches (8 – 11 cm). Hummingbirds have short wings that allow for high speed and maneuverability. Females have slightly longer wings than males.
• length: 2.8 – 3.5 inches (7 – 9 cm). The female ruby-throated hummingbird has a longer beak than the male, but a shorter tail.
• weight: 0.1 – 0.2 oz (2 – 6 g). Females are about 14% heavier than males.

Female (left) and male (right) ruby-throated hummingbirds in flight

behavioral difference

The physical differences between male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds make it fairly easy to tell them apart. However, the sexes also exhibit some notable behavioral differences.

courtship

Male ruby-throated hummingbirds are more aggressive than females. Males are very territorial during the breeding season and will defend areas rich in food resources to attract females. If his territory is attractive enough, he’ll put on a bit of acrobatics to woo any potential mate.

Excited males engage in aggressive behavior towards a female, swooping down on her from heights of up to fifty feet (15 m) before emerging last. As courtship progresses, he will switch to a new display flight to impress the female he now roosts.

For his next trick, the male performs a side-to-side arcing shuttle flight.

call

If the above-mentioned manifestation of courtship is successful, the receptive female will make a “meow” sound to indicate that she is ready to mate. However, other vocal differences between the sexes can help birders identify female ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds make soft “tick” calls when feeding, while territorial males make repetitive “tick” calls in the early morning.

Female, left, male, right, Ruby-throated hummingbird

nesting and feeding

If you are lucky enough to see a ruby-throated hummingbird nesting, you can be sure it is a female. Read on to learn more about her nesting and feeding behavior.

nest

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds choose a site and build their nest without any help. They are usually built on tree branches, although some birds use man-made structures such as cables. Nests are neat cups of soft plant material and spider silk and take about a week to make.

incubation

Females usually lay two small white eggs, but some nests lay one to three. She will incubate the eggs for about two weeks, resting only briefly during the day to feed.

feed

Females will feed the hummingbird chicks themselves. They provide protein and energy-rich insects and nectar by feeding back directly into the chicks’ mouths. The chicks spend about three weeks in the nest and are fed for another week after eclosion.

Female ruby-throated hummingbird sitting on the nest

Can a female ruby-throated hummingbird raise her offspring alone?

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds raise their young without the help of males. They build nests, sit on eggs, and feed their babies alone.

What color are female Ruby-throated hummingbirds?

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds are metallic green above and white/light gray below. The feathers on their sides are light yellow. Their eyes, feet and beaks are black.

Lack of colored neck guards makes sex identification in ruby-throated hummingbirds relatively simple

Do female ruby-throated hummingbirds sing?

Female ruby-throated hummingbirds make a variety of calls. Their “meow” can be heard before mating and while in the den. They often sound warning signs of unwelcome intruders while roosting or feeding, and they are very vocal during their southward migrations in the fall.

Are female ruby-throated hummingbirds territorial?

Hummingbirds are highly territorial, although female ruby-throated hummingbirds are far less territorial than males. However, females may defend their nesting territories.

Do female ruby-throated hummingbirds have red throats?

The throat of the female ruby-throated hummingbird is usually white, sometimes with some fine black spots. Older females may develop a small amount of iridescent red feathers along their throats, although they do not have full throats like adult males.