Shining Sunbeam vs Amazilia Hummingbird

Aglaeactis cupripennis compared with Amazilis amazilia

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Shining Sunbeam Amazilia Hummingbird
Scientific Name Aglaeactis cupripennis Amazilis amazilia
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Trochilidae Trochilidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 16.3 cm (6.4 in) —
Weight 7.540000000000001 g (0.27 oz) 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz)
Diet Nectarivore of high Andean páramo and puna; visits Chuquiraga, Puya, and Ericaceae flowers. Catches small … Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet …
Clutch Size 2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Shining Sunbeam only

None

Amazilia Hummingbird only

Song & Call Comparison

Shining Sunbeam

Song

Soft, sibilant twittering with silvery quality; high, airy notes cascading gently near high-altitude Polylepis flowers.

Amazilia Hummingbird

Song

Buzzy, high-pitched trill with insect-like quality; rapid sustained vibration barely distinguishable from insects.

Geographic Range & Migration

Shining Sunbeam

Widespread in Andean cloud forests and shrubby páramo from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 2,000–4,300 m.

Amazilia Hummingbird

Found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Resident in desert scrub and river valleys.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Shining Sunbeam

Least Concern

Amazilia Hummingbird

About These Birds

Shining Sunbeam

A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,500-3,800 m. Coppery-bronze plumage that shines with iridescent sunbeam-like reflections. Nectarivore of montane forest edges and páramo shrubs.

Amazilia Hummingbird

A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Green plumage with variable rusty-orange underparts. Nectarivore of desert scrub, gardens, and river valleys. Adapted to arid Pacific environments.

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