Perch Supply
Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris. Flower nectar and sugar water, plus small insects and spiders for protein.

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris
Scientific name
Archilochus colubris
Length
2.8–3.5 in
Weight
0.1–0.2 oz
Nest
Walnut-sized cup of plant down bound with spider silk, saddled on a downward-sloping branch
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
1–3 eggs (usually 2)
Incubation
12–14 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Identification

  • Bright emerald-green back; male with an iridescent ruby-red throat that looks black in poor light
  • Female with a white throat and white-tipped outer tail feathers
  • The only hummingbird that breeds regularly east of the Great Plains

Voice

High, squeaky chips and chatters; the male's wings hum audibly.

Diet and feeding

Flower nectar and sugar water, plus small insects and spiders for protein.

What do ruby-throated hummingbirds eat? · Best feeder for ruby-throated hummingbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaSummer breederApril–August
AlbertaSummer breederJune–August
ArkansasSummer breederMay–August
ConnecticutSummer breederMay–August
DelawareSummer breederMay–August
FloridaSummer breederMarch–July
GeorgiaSummer breederApril–August
IllinoisSummer breederMay–August
IndianaSummer breederMay–August
IowaSummer breederMay–August
KansasSummer breederMay–August
KentuckySummer breederMay–August
LouisianaSummer breederApril–August
MaineSummer breederJune–August
ManitobaSummer breederJune–August
MarylandSummer breederMay–August
MassachusettsSummer breederMay–August
MichiganSummer breederMay–August
MinnesotaSummer breederJune–August
MississippiSummer breederApril–August
MissouriSummer breederMay–August
NebraskaSummer breederMay–August
New BrunswickSummer breederJune–August
New HampshireSummer breederJune–August
New JerseySummer breederMay–August
New YorkSummer breederMay–August
North CarolinaSummer breederApril–August
North DakotaSummer breederJune–August
Nova ScotiaSummer breederJune–August
OhioSummer breederMay–August
OklahomaSummer breederMay–August
OntarioSummer breederJune–August
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMay–August
QuebecSummer breederJune–August
Rhode IslandSummer breederMay–August
SaskatchewanSummer breederJune–August
South CarolinaSummer breederApril–August
South DakotaSummer breederMay–August
TennesseeSummer breederMay–August
TexasSummer breederMarch–August
VermontSummer breederJune–August
VirginiaSummer breederMay–August
West VirginiaSummer breederMay–August
WisconsinSummer breederJune–August

Frequently asked

What do ruby-throated hummingbirds eat?

Flower nectar and sugar water, plus small insects and spiders for protein. At feeders: sugar water: 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water, no dye.

How big is a Ruby-throated Hummingbird?

2.8–3.5 in long and 0.1–0.2 oz.

Do ruby-throated hummingbirds use birdhouses?

No. Walnut-sized cup of plant down bound with spider silk, saddled on a downward-sloping branch.

Sources

  1. Ruby-throated Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Ruby-throated Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Ruby-throated Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.