Sparkling Violetear vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Colibri coruscans compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sparkling Violetear | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colibri coruscans | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.1 cm (5.9 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 6.683333333333334 g (0.24 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore ranging widely across forest canopy and edges. Defends flowering trees; catches small insects in … | 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
Sparkling Violetear
Deep, resonant buzz with hollow quality; low-pitched churring sound vibrating softly through broad-leaved forest.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Sparkling Violetear
Widespread in Andean highlands from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Found at 1,500–4,200 m.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Sparkling Violetear
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Sparkling Violetear
Blue-tailed Hummingbird: brilliant shining coppery-bronze body; glittering violet gorget; pale whitish underparts; blue-glossed tail
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Sparkling Violetear
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) with glittering green plumage and violet ear patches. Found widely across the Andes from Venezuela to Argentina at 1,500-4,500 m. Nectarivore, one of the most abundant and conspicuous hummingbirds in Andean gardens and forest edges.
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.