Black-throated Brilliant vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Heliodoxa schreibersii compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-throated Brilliant | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa schreibersii | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 8.5 g (0.30 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Amazonian foothill forest; visits large-flowered shrubs and epiphytes. Supplements with small arthropods. | 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-throated Brilliant
Buzzy, sustained trill with insect-like monotony; continuous low vibration with minimal variation throughout delivery.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-throated Brilliant
Found in lowland and foothill humid forest from Colombia south through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 0–1,400 m.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Black-throated Brilliant
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-throated Brilliant
Giant Hummingbird (alt): males with iridescent blue gorget; metallic green; very large; white rump; females plain green; spots
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-throated Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in humid forests from eastern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru at 300-1,500 m. Males have a black throat patch with green glitter. Nectarivore of foothill forest. Named after the Austrian naturalist Carl von Schreibers.
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.