Gould's Inca vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Coeligena inca compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Gould's Inca | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena inca | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.6 cm (5.7 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 7.0 g (0.25 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Peruvian and Bolivian cloud forest; forages at diverse Ericaceae and Clusia blooms. Gleans … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Gould's Inca
Pure, bell-like tone with long resonance; single clear note ringing out in open Andean grassland then fading.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Gould's Inca
Endemic to the eastern Andean slopes of Peru and Bolivia in cloud forest at 1,200–2,800 m elevation.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Gould's Inca
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Gould's Inca
Shining Sunbeam (alt): males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic bronze-green; large white tuft; females plain; white pectoral tuft
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Gould's Inca
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Peru and Bolivia at 2,000-3,000 m. Green plumage similar to Collared Inca. Nectarivore of montane forest. Named after John Gould. Sometimes considered a subspecies of Collared Inca.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to Jamaica. Males have a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Recently split from Bahama Woodstar. A Jamaican near-endemic.