Golden-bellied Starfrontlet vs Needle-billed Hermit
Coeligena bonapartei compared with Phaethornis philippii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet | Needle-billed Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena bonapartei | Phaethornis philippii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) | 4.9 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Clusia. Takes small insects … | Nectarivore following trap-lining routes through Heliconia and Costus flowers. Catches small arthropods for protein. |
| 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.
Needle-billed Hermit
Soft, whispered twittering with delicate quality; barely audible sequence of minute high notes almost lost in ambient sound.
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.
Needle-billed Hermit
Found in lowland rainforest of Peru and adjacent Bolivia in the upper Amazon basin. Sea level to 600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Needle-billed Hermit
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
Needle-billed Hermit
Minute Hermit: metallic green above; buff underparts; white postocular stripe; tiny size; decurved bill; streaked throat; pale belly
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.
Needle-billed Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (12-14 cm) found in humid lowland forests from eastern Peru to western Brazil. Green plumage with rufous underparts and an unusually straight, needle-like bill for a hermit. Nectarivore of Amazonian forest undergrowth.