Golden-bellied Starfrontlet vs White-tipped Sicklebill
Coeligena bonapartei compared with Eutoxeres aquila
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet | White-tipped Sicklebill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena bonapartei | Eutoxeres aquila |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 14.1 cm (5.6 in) |
| Weight | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) | 11.366666666666667 g (0.40 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Clusia. Takes small insects … | Feeds on floral nectar and small invertebrates; males defend nectar-rich territories against other hummingbirds. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
High, crystalline twittering with silvery sheen; rapid light notes cascading brightly in active display sequences.
White-tipped Sicklebill
Rapid, sibilant twittering; light, feathery notes cascading quickly with barely perceptible pauses between loose phrases.
Geographic Range & Migration
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Found in cloud forest of the eastern Andes of Colombia and western Venezuela at 1,800–2,800 m.
White-tipped Sicklebill
Found in humid forests from Costa Rica south through Panama to western Ecuador. Resident at 200–1,600 m in dense undergrowth with Heliconia.
Conservation Status
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
White-tipped Sicklebill
How to Tell Them Apart
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Green-headed Hillstar: males with glittering green head; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted buff below
White-tipped Sicklebill
Dark brown and buff striped underparts; green-bronze upperparts; white-tipped tail feathers; extremely curved sickle-shaped bill; sexes similar; Andean heliconia specialist with diagnostic strongly decurved bill and boldly streaked underparts.
About These Birds
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.
White-tipped Sicklebill
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-14 cm) with a dramatically decurved bill, adapted for extracting nectar from curved Heliconia flowers. Green plumage with a buff-streaked breast and white-tipped tail. Found in humid forests from Costa Rica to Peru. A specialized pollinator.