Blue-capped Puffleg vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Eriocnemis glaucopoides compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue-capped Puffleg | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocnemis glaucopoides | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 10.1 cm (4.0 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 3.75 g (0.13 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian Andes; fluffy leg tufts show during hover at Ericaceae blooms. Gleans small … | 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
Blue-capped Puffleg
Buzzy, high-pitched trill barely audible; rapid soft vibration with insect-like quality during hovering near blossoms.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Blue-capped Puffleg
Endemic to Argentina and adjacent Bolivia in high Andean scrub and puna at 2,600–4,200 m elevation.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Blue-capped Puffleg
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue-capped Puffleg
Velvet-browed Brilliant: males with iridescent purple gorget; velvety black brow; metallic bronze-green above; females green with spots
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Blue-capped Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Bolivia to northwestern Argentina at 2,000-3,500 m. Green plumage with blue crown and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and cloud forest edges. The southernmost puffleg species.
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.