Hummingbird vs. Sunbird — What's the Difference?

Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 360 species, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species is found in the tropics.

Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills.

Any of numerous birds of the family Trochilidae found throughout the Americas, usually very small in size and having brilliant iridescent plumage, a long slender bill, and wings capable of beating very rapidly, thereby enabling the bird to hover.

Any of various small tropical passerine birds of the family Nectariniidae of Asia, Africa, and Australia, having a slender downward-curving bill and often brightly colored plumage in the male.

Any of various small American birds in the family Trochilidae that have the ability to hover.

A bird belonging to any of several species in the family Nectariniidae.

Any bird of the family Trochilidæ, of which over one hundred genera are known, including about four hundred species. They are found only in America and are most abundant in the tropics. They are mostly of very small size with long slender bills adapted to sucking nectar from flowers, and are noted for the very brilliant iridescent colors of their plumage and their peculiar habit of hovering about flowers while vibrating their wings very rapidly with a humming noise; the wings are specialized for hovering flight, but they can also dart forward and fly quite rapidly. They feed both upon the nectar of flowers and upon small insects. The common humming bird or ruby-throat of the Eastern United States is Trochilus colubris. Several other species are found in the Western United States. See Calliope, and Ruby-throat.

(US) A person, usually one who is retired, who travels from a warm climate to a colder one in the summer; one who oversummers elsewhere.

Tiny American bird having brilliant iridescent plumage and long slender bills; wings are specialized for vibrating flight

Any one of numerous species of small brilliantly colored birds of the family Nectariniidæ, native of Africa, Southern Asia, the East Indies, and Australia. In external appearance and habits they somewhat resemble humming birds, but they are true singing birds (Oscines).