Versicolored Emerald vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Chrysuronia versicolor compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Versicolored Emerald | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chrysuronia versicolor | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | — |
| Weight | 3.5599999999999996 g (0.13 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Visits flowering trees and epiphytes for nectar; supplements diet with small arthropods including gnats, midges, … | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Versicolored Emerald
Thin, wavering sibilant trill; soft high buzzing with pulsing rhythm during slow courtship hovering display.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Versicolored Emerald
Found in open habitats from Venezuela through Brazil to Argentina. Resident in cerrado, gardens, and forest edges.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Found in cloud forests of northern Bolivia and adjacent Peru and Brazil at 400–1,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Versicolored Emerald
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
How to Tell Them Apart
Versicolored Emerald
Black Coucal: all glossy black; red eye; shorter tail than other coucals; females have rufous wash; sexually dimorphic plumage
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet: tiny; males with brilliant orange-gold belly; violet gorget; females green above; spotted buff below
About These Birds
Versicolored Emerald
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in open habitats from Venezuela through Brazil to Argentina. Variable green plumage with blue and white tones. Nectarivore of cerrado, gardens, and forest edges. Named for its variable, multicolored plumage.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
A small hummingbird (8-10 cm plus tail rackets) found in Andean cloud forests of southeastern Peru and Bolivia at 1,200-2,200 m. Males have rufous leg puffs instead of white. Recently split from Booted Racket-tail. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth.