Fiery-tailed Awlbill vs Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Avocettula recurvirostris compared with Coeligena bonapartei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fiery-tailed Awlbill | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Avocettula recurvirostris | Coeligena bonapartei |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.2 cm (4.4 in) | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 4.25 g (0.15 oz) | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore with upturned bill tip for accessing pendant Heliconia flowers. Supplements with small insects caught … | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Clusia. Takes small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
High, bright twittering cascade; light rapid notes tumbling freely in animated vocal sequence during display.
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
High, crystalline twittering with silvery sheen; rapid light notes cascading brightly in active display sequences.
Geographic Range & Migration
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
Found in humid forest edges and clearings from Trinidad and Venezuela east through the Guianas and Amazonian Brazil. 0–600 m.
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Found in cloud forest of the eastern Andes of Colombia and western Venezuela at 1,800–2,800 m.
Conservation Status
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
How to Tell Them Apart
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
Gilded Hummingbird: males with brilliant violet-blue gorget; metallic bronze-green above; white pectoral tufts; females with spotted below
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Green-headed Hillstar: males with glittering green head; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted buff below
About These Birds
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) with a uniquely upcurved, awl-shaped bill. Green plumage with a fiery orange-red tail. Found in humid lowland forests from eastern Venezuela through the Guianas to Amazonia. Nectarivore and insectivore. The only member of its genus.
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Colombia at 1,800-3,200 m. Males have a golden-yellow belly and iridescent green forehead. Nectarivore of montane forest and forest edges.