Golden-bellied Starfrontlet vs Reddish Hermit
Coeligena bonapartei compared with Phaethornis ruber
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet | Reddish Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena bonapartei | Phaethornis ruber |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 6.6 cm (2.6 in) |
| Weight | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) | 2.4 g (0.08 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Clusia. Takes small insects … | Nectarivore of dense undergrowth flowers. Regularly hawks small flying insects and gleans spiders to meet … |
| 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.
Reddish Hermit
Thin, reedy whistle with slightly nasal quality; soft sustained note barely wavering, issued from dense shrub cover.
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.
Reddish Hermit
Widespread in humid lowland forests from the Guianas south through Amazonian Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Found at 0–900 m.
Conservation Status
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Reddish 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
Reddish Hermit
White-whiskered Hermit: pale cinnamon-buff below; olive-brown above; white supercilium and malar stripe; elongated white-tipped tail feathers
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.
Reddish Hermit
A tiny hermit hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in humid forests from the Guianas through Amazonia to Brazil and Bolivia. Rufous-brown plumage overall with a curved bill. Nectarivore of dense forest undergrowth. Visits tiny flowers near the forest floor. One of the smallest hermits.