Brown Inca vs Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Coeligena wilsoni compared with Lampornis amethystinus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brown Inca | Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena wilsoni | Lampornis amethystinus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 13.1 cm (5.2 in) |
| Weight | 6.88 g (0.24 oz) | 5.6000000000000005 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Ecuadorian cloud forest; defends Ericaceae territories. Supplements with small arthropods. | Nectarivore of Mexican and Central American montane pine-oak forest; visits Ericaceae and Salvia. Gleans arthropods. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Brown Inca
Bright, musical rolling trill; cheerful bubbly notes cascading pleasantly from flowering shrub in Andean valley.
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Pure, sustained flute-like tone held steady; single clear note with barely perceptible vibrato in tropical shade.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brown Inca
Found on the Pacific slope and western Andes of Colombia and Ecuador at 700–2,000 m. Fairly common.
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Found in montane forest from Mexico south through Guatemala and Honduras to El Salvador. 1,000–3,200 m.
Conservation Status
Brown Inca
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
How to Tell Them Apart
Brown Inca
Turquoise-mantled Puffleg: males with iridescent turquoise mantle; metallic green above; white leg puffs; females green above; spots
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Bumblebee Hummingbird: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted
About These Birds
Brown Inca
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in cloud forests of the western Andes from Colombia to Ecuador at 800-2,200 m. Dark brown plumage with rufous wing patches. Nectarivore of Chocó cloud forest undergrowth. Closely related to Bronzy Inca.
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in mountain forests from Mexico to Honduras at 1,000-3,000 m. Males have an amethyst-purple throat. Nectarivore of pine-oak and cloud forest. Commonly visits feeders in Mexican highland gardens.