Mountain Velvetbreast vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Lafresnaya lafresnayi compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Velvetbreast | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lafresnaya lafresnayi | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) | — |
| Weight | 5.6 g (0.20 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan Andean cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and Fuchsia. Gleans small arthropods … | 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
Mountain Velvetbreast
Sharp, staccato chips in rapid sequence; clean emphatic notes delivered with rising intensity near territorial dispute.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mountain Velvetbreast
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,400–3,200 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
Mountain Velvetbreast
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Velvetbreast
Rufous-capped Thornbill: males with ruby gorget; metallic green; rufous-capped; females green above; spotted buff underparts; tiny
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
Mountain Velvetbreast
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Peru at 2,000-3,500 m. Males have a velvety black breast with green iridescence. Long, slightly decurved bill. Nectarivore of montane forest, visiting Ericaceae and Fuchsia flowers.
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.