Common Dodder vs Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Cuscuta gronovii compared with Amazilia tzacatl

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Dodder	Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Kingdom	Plantae (plantas)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Aves (ave)
Order	Solanales (Solanales)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Convolvulaceae	Trochilidae
Genus	Cuscuta	Amazilia
Species	Cuscuta gronovii	Amazilia tzacatl

Conservation Status

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Dodder	Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Dodder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries) and North America (United States).

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Common Dodder

<em>Cuscuta gronovii</em>, the common dodder, is a parasitic annual vine in the family Convolvulaceae. This species is distributed across eleven European countries as well as the United States, where it typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments including wetland margins, roadsides, thickets, and disturbed vegetation. Unlike most plants, <em>Cuscuta gronovii</em> lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on host plants for water and nutrients, which it extracts through specialized structures called haustoria. The common dodder typically has slender, twining orange or yellowish stems and produces small, clustered white or pale pink flowers in late summer. It often parasitizes a broad range of host species, including many herbaceous and shrubby plants. Once attached to a host, it typically sheds its connection to the soil and relies entirely on the host for sustenance. The species is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and ability to colonize disturbed habitats. Its parasitic life history makes it ecologically notable among flowering plants.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

O beija-flor-de-cauda-ruiva (Amazilia tzacatl) e um dos beija-flores mais comuns da America Central e do noroeste da America do Sul. E de porte medio, com partes superiores verdes e uma cauda de cor laranja-ruivo brilhante, muito caracteristica. Ocorre desde o Mexico ate o Equador e Trinidad em uma grande variedade de habitats, incluindo bordas de floresta, jardins, plantacoes e vegetacao secundaria desde o nivel do mar ate 2.100 metros. Defensor agressivo de territorios em bebedouros e plantas com flores, e frequentemente observado em jardins por toda a sua area de distribuicao. Classificado como Pouco Preocupante.