Golden-bellied Starfrontlet vs White-whiskered Hermit
Coeligena bonapartei compared with Phaethornis yaruqui
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet | White-whiskered Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena bonapartei | Phaethornis yaruqui |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 11.9 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) | 5.416666666666667 g (0.19 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.
White-whiskered Hermit
Gentle, melodic warbling with flowing phrases; notes weaving smoothly in quiet musical progression through dappled forest.
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-whiskered Hermit
Endemic to the Pacific slope of Ecuador and northwestern Colombia in lowland humid forest. Sea level to 800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
White-whiskered 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
White-whiskered Hermit
Eastern Long-tailed Hermit: forked blue-black tail; iridescent blue-green above; white postocular stripe; buff-white underparts; decurved bill
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-whiskered Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in humid foothill forests of western Colombia and Ecuador. Dark plumage with white whisker-like throat stripes and long, white-tipped tail. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth. A specialist of Chocó rainforest habitats.