Lesser Violetear vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Colibri cyanotus compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Violetear | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colibri cyanotus | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | — |
| Weight | 4.866666666666667 g (0.17 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore highly adaptable to disturbed habitats; visits Lantana, Salvia, and Ericaceae flowers. Supplements with small … | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Violetear
Rapid, light chips in cheerful sequence; bright staccato notes with buoyant quality delivered during active foraging.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lesser Violetear
Found in Andean highlands from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,000–2,800 m elevation.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Found in cloud forests of northern Bolivia and adjacent Peru and Brazil at 400–1,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Lesser Violetear
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Violetear
Violet-headed Hummingbird: violet-blue gorget and head; metallic green above; white belly; cinnamon flanks; females duller with spotted throat
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet: tiny; males with brilliant orange-gold belly; violet gorget; females green above; spotted buff below
About These Birds
Lesser Violetear
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) with bright green plumage and violet-blue ear patches. Found in Andean highlands from Costa Rica to Bolivia at 1,200-3,000 m. Nectarivore of cloud forest edges and gardens. Recently split from Green Violetear; range extends south of Panama.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
A small hummingbird (8-10 cm plus tail rackets) found in Andean cloud forests of southeastern Peru and Bolivia at 1,200-2,200 m. Males have rufous leg puffs instead of white. Recently split from Booted Racket-tail. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth.