Golden-bellied Starfrontlet vs Pale-tailed Barbthroat
Coeligena bonapartei compared with Threnetes leucurus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden-bellied Starfrontlet | Pale-tailed Barbthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena bonapartei | Threnetes leucurus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 6.800000000000001 g (0.24 oz) | 5.42 g (0.19 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Clusia. Takes small insects … | Primarily nectarivore; uses its strongly hooked bill to probe for nectar in curved flowers; eats … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet only
None
Pale-tailed Barbthroat only
Song & Call Comparison
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
High, crystalline twittering with silvery sheen; rapid light notes cascading brightly in active display sequences.
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
Rapid, buzzing trill with insect-like quality; sustained high-frequency vibration followed by softer descending notes.
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.
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
Found in the Amazon basin and Guiana Shield from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Peru and Bolivia. Resident in humid forest interior.
Conservation Status
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
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
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
Bronze-green upperparts; pale greyish-buff underparts; dark malar stripe; tail pale buff-white with dark subterminal band; lacks the strong black banding of Band-tailed Barbthroat; Amazonian species with paler tail pattern.
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.
Pale-tailed Barbthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-12 cm) found in humid lowland forests of northern South America and Trinidad. Green plumage with white-tipped tail feathers and a decurved bill. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting Heliconia and Costus flowers. An important lowland forest pollinator.