Beautiful Hummingbird vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Calothorax pulcher compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Beautiful Hummingbird | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calothorax pulcher | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.4 cm (2.9 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 2.6575 g (0.09 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from dry-forest flowers in Oaxaca, hovering at low scrub blooms. Catches gnats … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Beautiful Hummingbird
Soft, pure whistle with plaintive character; gentle wavering tone fading gently in dense cloud forest shade.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Beautiful Hummingbird
Endemic to southwestern Mexico in Guerrero and Oaxaca. Resident in dry forest and thorn scrub at 600-2,000 m elevation.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Beautiful Hummingbird
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Beautiful Hummingbird
Broad-billed Hummingbird: males with brilliant sapphire-blue gorget; metallic green above; red-orange bill; females green above; spots
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Beautiful Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) endemic to southwestern Mexico in Guerrero and Oaxaca. Males have a magenta gorget similar to Lucifer Hummingbird. Long, decurved bill. Nectarivore of dry forest and thorn scrub. A Mexican endemic with restricted range.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to Jamaica. Males have a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Recently split from Bahama Woodstar. A Jamaican near-endemic.