Velvet-browed Brilliant vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Heliodoxa xanthogonys compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Velvet-browed Brilliant | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa xanthogonys | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) | — |
| Weight | 6.833333333333333 g (0.24 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting Ericaceae, Fuchsia, and other montane flowers in Andean cloud forest. Takes small insects … | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Velvet-browed Brilliant
High, shrill screaming call with carrying quality; piercing notes audible at distance across open Andean hillsides.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Endemic to the tepuis of Venezuela and adjacent Guyana and Brazil in high-altitude forest. 1,200–2,600 m.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Found in cloud forests of northern Bolivia and adjacent Peru and Brazil at 400–1,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
How to Tell Them Apart
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Blue-fronted Lancebill: males with iridescent blue forehead; magenta gorget; metallic green; females green above; spotted buff below
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet: tiny; males with brilliant orange-gold belly; violet gorget; females green above; spotted buff below
About These Birds
Velvet-browed Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana. Green plumage with a velvety dark forehead. Nectarivore of tepui forest edges. A Pantepui endemic of very restricted range. Poorly studied.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
A small hummingbird (8-10 cm plus tail rackets) found in Andean cloud forests of southeastern Peru and Bolivia at 1,200-2,200 m. Males have rufous leg puffs instead of white. Recently split from Booted Racket-tail. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth.