Purple-throated Carib vs Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Eulampis jugularis compared with Thalurania furcata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-throated Carib | Fork-tailed Woodnymph |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eulampis jugularis | Thalurania furcata |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 10.9 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 9.316666666666666 g (0.33 oz) | 4.4 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Caribbean island forests; bill adapted to visit Heliconia and Brugmansia. Takes small arthropods … | Widespread Amazonian nectarivore visiting diverse forest-floor flowers. Supplements with insects and spiders caught in flight. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 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.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Buzzy, insect-like trill with monotonous quality; sustained rapid vibration with minimal melodic content.
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.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Resident.
Conservation Status
Purple-throated Carib
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
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
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Blue Bustard: males with slate-blue neck and breast; brown-vermiculated above; white belly; females brown above; pale below
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.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Males have violet-blue underparts and green crown. Deeply forked tail. Nectarivore of forest edges and gardens.