Purple-throated Carib vs White-browed Hermit
Eulampis jugularis compared with Phaethornis stuarti
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-throated Carib | White-browed Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eulampis jugularis | Phaethornis stuarti |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 7.2 cm (2.8 in) |
| Weight | 9.316666666666666 g (0.33 oz) | 2.48 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Caribbean island forests; bill adapted to visit Heliconia and Brugmansia. Takes small arthropods … | Nectarivore trap-lining Heliconia patches in humid lowland forest. Supplements with arthropods for breeding protein demands. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Purple-throated Carib
Thin, sibilant twittering with airy quality; light high notes cascading softly in relaxed sequence near flowers.
White-browed Hermit
Deep, resonant trill with powerful carrying quality; rich vibrating sound audible at great distance in still air.
Geographic Range & Migration
Purple-throated Carib
Found throughout the Lesser Antilles from Saba to Grenada. Prefers mature forest and flowering trees. Sea level to 800 m.
White-browed Hermit
Endemic to Bolivia and adjacent southwestern Brazil in the Amazon basin. Found in lowland forest at 150–600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Purple-throated Carib
White-browed Hermit
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-throated Carib
Turquoise-throated Puffleg: iridescent violet crown; glittering turquoise gorget; metallic green back; white leg puffs; females duller
White-browed Hermit
Straight-billed Hermit: rufous underparts; olive-brown crown; broad white postocular stripe; elongated whitish tail; distinctively straight bill
About These Birds
Purple-throated Carib
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) endemic to the Lesser Antilles from Saba to St. Vincent. Males have iridescent purple throat and green body. Nectarivore of montane forest and gardens. Larger and more aggressive than Green-throated Carib, dominating flower territories.
White-browed Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean foothill forests from Peru to Bolivia at 800-1,800 m elevation. Green plumage with white eyebrow stripe and buffy underparts. Nectarivore of cloud forest undergrowth. Named after the Austrian naturalist Karl Stuart.