Amazilia Hummingbird vs Fire-throated Metaltail

Amazilis amazilia compared with Metallura eupogon

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Amazilia Hummingbird Fire-throated Metaltail
Scientific Name Amazilis amazilia Metallura eupogon
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Trochilidae Trochilidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan — 11.9 cm (4.7 in)
Weight 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz) 4.8 g (0.17 oz)
Diet Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet … Nectarivore of Peruvian high-altitude shrublands; visits Ericaceae and Valeriana flowers. Catches small insects near blooms.
Clutch Size 2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Amazilia Hummingbird only

Fire-throated Metaltail only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Amazilia Hummingbird

Song

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

Fire-throated Metaltail

Song

Soft, pure whistle with plaintive character; gentle sustained tone with slight wavering, given at dawn from cover.

Geographic Range & Migration

Amazilia Hummingbird

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

Fire-throated Metaltail

Endemic to Peru in cloud forests and high shrub of the Cordillera Central at 2,800–4,400 m elevation.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Amazilia Hummingbird

Least Concern

Fire-throated Metaltail

About These Birds

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.

Fire-throated Metaltail

A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the Andes of central and southern Peru at 3,000-4,200 m. Males have a glittering fiery-red throat. Nectarivore of puna scrub and cloud forest edges. A Peruvian endemic found in Polylepis woodland and high-altitude shrubs.

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