Fawn-breasted Brilliant vs Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem

Heliodoxa rubinoides compared with Lampornis amethystinus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Fawn-breasted Brilliant Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Scientific Name Heliodoxa rubinoides Lampornis amethystinus
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Trochilidae Trochilidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 13.9 cm (5.5 in) 13.1 cm (5.2 in)
Weight 7.368 g (0.26 oz) 5.6000000000000005 g (0.20 oz)
Diet Nectarivore of Colombian and Ecuadorian cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Fuchsia blooms. Gleans small … Nectarivore of Mexican and Central American montane pine-oak forest; visits Ericaceae and Salvia. Gleans arthropods.
Clutch Size 2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Fawn-breasted Brilliant only

None

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Song

Rapid, bright twittering cascade; light airy notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above tropical blossoms.

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem

Song

Pure, sustained flute-like tone held steady; single clear note with barely perceptible vibrato in tropical shade.

Geographic Range & Migration

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Found in foothill and lower montane cloud forest from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 600–2,000 m.

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem

Found in montane forest from Mexico south through Guatemala and Honduras to El Salvador. 1,000–3,200 m.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Least Concern

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem

About These Birds

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 1,200-2,500 m. Green plumage with a distinctive fawn-buff breast. Nectarivore of montane forest and forest edges. A common cloud forest species across its range.

Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem

A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in mountain forests from Mexico to Honduras at 1,000-3,000 m. Males have an amethyst-purple throat. Nectarivore of pine-oak and cloud forest. Commonly visits feeders in Mexican highland gardens.

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