Little Sunangel vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Heliangelus micraster compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Little Sunangel | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliangelus micraster | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 3.8499999999999996 g (0.14 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of misty upper montane forest; forages at diverse epiphyte and shrub flowers. 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
Little Sunangel
Sharp, emphatic rattle with forceful delivery; rapid dry notes erupting suddenly then ceasing in abrupt silence.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Little Sunangel
Found in Andean cloud forests of southern Ecuador and northern Peru at 2,000–3,500 m. Locally common.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Little Sunangel
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Little Sunangel
Tyrian Metaltail: males with glittering coppery-purple gorget; metallic bronze-green above; females green above with buff spotted below
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Little Sunangel
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Ecuador to Peru at 1,500-2,500 m. Males have a small violet gorget. Green plumage. Nectarivore of montane forest. The smallest sunangel species. Uncommon and poorly studied.
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.