Green Thorntail vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Discosura conversii compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green Thorntail | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Discosura conversii | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.4 cm (3.3 in) | — |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting small flowers at forest canopy and edges. Forages in groups at flowering trees; … | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Green Thorntail
Pure, sustaining tone with bell-like quality; single clear note ringing firmly then slowly diminishing in open air.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Green Thorntail
Found in foothill and lower montane forest from Costa Rica south through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru. 300–1,500 m.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Found in cloud forests of northern Bolivia and adjacent Peru and Brazil at 400–1,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Green Thorntail
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
About These Birds
Green Thorntail
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) with a long, wire-like tail extending to 10 cm total in males. Brilliant green plumage with white rump band. Found in humid forests from Costa Rica to western Ecuador. Nectarivore of forest canopy, hovering at tiny flowers. Fairy-like flight.
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.