Head to head
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird vs Hummingbird Hawk-moth
People regularly report seeing a hummingbird somewhere it could not possibly be, a garden in England, a window box in Germany, and what they have actually seen is a hummingbird hawk-moth. This day-flying moth hovers at flowers, feeds through a long tongue held out like a beak, makes an audible hum, and is almost exactly the size of a small hummingbird. The resemblance is a striking case of an insect converging on a bird.
| Ruby-Throated Hummingbird | Hummingbird Hawk-moth | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A bird | A moth (an insect) |
| Where it lives | The Americas only | Europe, Asia, and North Africa (this species) |
| Antennae | None | A pair, clubbed at the tip |
| Feeding tube | A rigid, needle-like bill with a tongue inside | A long tongue that coils up when not in use |
| Body covering | Feathers | Scales and hair |
| Legs | Two | Six |
| Tail | True tail feathers | A fan of hairs flared from the abdomen tip |
| Wingbeat | About 50 per second | About 70–85 per second |
| Size | About 7–13 cm long | About 4–6 cm wingspan |
Hummingbird vs Hummingbird Moth: common questions
Is a hummingbird moth a real thing, or just a hummingbird?
It is a real and separate animal, a moth. Several moth species are called hummingbird moths, including the hummingbird hawk-moth of Europe and Asia and the clearwing hummingbird moths of North America. They hover at flowers, feed on nectar, beat their wings fast enough to hum, and are about the size of a small hummingbird, but they are insects, with antennae, six legs, a coiled tongue, and a scaly body.
How can I tell them apart quickly?
Look for antennae and count the legs if you can. A moth has two obvious antennae and six legs; a bird has neither antennae nor more than two legs. The moth also carries a fan of hairs at its rear that it spreads like a tail, and it feeds by unrolling a long flexible tongue, while a hummingbird has a stiff pointed bill. If you are anywhere outside the Americas, it is definitely a moth, because wild hummingbirds do not occur there.
Why does the moth look so much like a hummingbird?
It is convergent evolution, two unrelated animals arriving at the same design because they do the same job. Both hover in front of flowers to drink nectar, and hovering flight favours a compact body, a very fast wingbeat, and precise control, while feeding on the wing favours a long feeding tube. The result is a moth that flies, sounds, and feeds so much like a small hummingbird that experienced birdwatchers are fooled at a glance.