The most widespread of all hummingbird species, the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is a familiar inhabitant of Central and North America but is often only seen as a flash of green and red as it zips between flowers at remarkable speed. A brilliant, tiny, precision-flying bird, with narrow wings adapted for hovering, the ruby-throated hummingbird exhibits marked sexual dimorphism. The male is recognised by its iridescent, ruby red gorget, which covers the entire throat, and by its black face and chin and entirely dark, deeply-forked tail. The larger female ...