Amazilia Hummingbird vs Black-eared Fairy

Amazilis amazilia compared with Heliothryx auritus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Amazilia Hummingbird Black-eared Fairy
Scientific Name Amazilis amazilia Heliothryx auritus
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Trochilidae Trochilidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan — 13.0 cm (5.1 in)
Weight 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz) 5.15 g (0.18 oz)
Diet Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet … Nectarivore robbing nectar from large flowers in forest canopy. Gleans small spiders and soft-bodied insects …
Clutch Size 2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Amazilia Hummingbird only

Black-eared Fairy only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Amazilia Hummingbird

Song

Buzzy, high-pitched trill with insect-like quality; rapid sustained vibration barely distinguishable from insects.

Black-eared Fairy

Song

Soft, liquid notes in gentle cascade; flowing sequence of mellow tones with subtle tremolo in misty montane forest.

Geographic Range & Migration

Amazilia Hummingbird

Found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Resident in desert scrub and river valleys.

Black-eared Fairy

Widespread in Amazonian lowlands from the Guianas south through Brazil and west to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 0–700 m.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Amazilia Hummingbird

Least Concern

Black-eared Fairy

About These Birds

Amazilia Hummingbird

A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Green plumage with variable rusty-orange underparts. Nectarivore of desert scrub, gardens, and river valleys. Adapted to arid Pacific environments.

Black-eared Fairy

A slender, elegant hummingbird (11-12 cm) with a long, forked tail, glittering green plumage, and bold black ear patches. Found in humid lowland forests from eastern Colombia and Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia and Brazil. Nectarivore of forest canopy. Named for its graceful flight.

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