Black Jacobin vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Florisuga fusca compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Jacobin | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Florisuga fusca | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.2 cm (6.0 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 8.0 g (0.28 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore trap-lining low-forest flowers; catches small insects and spiders gleaned from leaf surfaces. | 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
Black Jacobin
Melodic, flute-like series descending smoothly; rich sustained notes with slight vibrato, beautiful and clear in calm air.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Jacobin
Endemic to eastern Brazil in the Atlantic Forest from Bahia south to Rio Grande do Sul. Resident in Atlantic forest and adjacent open areas.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Black Jacobin
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Jacobin
Males entirely blackish with a glossy blue-violet sheen; white tips to undertail coverts; white tail corners; female similar but duller with white-spotted underparts; Atlantic forest hummingbird with unusual all-dark plumage …
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Black Jacobin
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Mostly black plumage with white tail sides visible in flight. Nectarivore of forest and forest edge. Often feeds at bromeliads and Erythrina flowers. An important pollinator of Atlantic Forest plants.
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.