Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem vs Booted Racket-tail
Lampornis amethystinus compared with Ocreatus underwoodii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem | Booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lampornis amethystinus | Ocreatus underwoodii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 13.1 cm (5.2 in) | 8.5 cm (3.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.6000000000000005 g (0.20 oz) | 2.8 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Mexican and Central American montane pine-oak forest; visits Ericaceae and Salvia. Gleans arthropods. | Nectarivore of Andean foothill forest; visits Ericaceae and Heliconia flowers. Catches small insects in aerial … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Pure, sustained flute-like tone held steady; single clear note with barely perceptible vibrato in tropical shade.
Booted Racket-tail
Melodic, rolling phrase with liquid quality; warm bubbly notes tumbling in pleasant continuous musical sequence.
Geographic Range & Migration
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Found in montane forest from Mexico south through Guatemala and Honduras to El Salvador. 1,000–3,200 m.
Booted Racket-tail
Widespread in Andean foothill and cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. 200–1,800 m.
Conservation Status
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Booted Racket-tail
How to Tell Them Apart
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Bumblebee Hummingbird: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted
Booted Racket-tail
Blue-throated Starfrontlet: males with glittering blue gorget; metallic bronze-green; females green above; spotted buff underparts
About These Birds
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.
Booted Racket-tail
A small hummingbird (8-10 cm plus 5-7 cm tail rackets in males) widely distributed in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia at 1,500-3,000 m. Males have long, wire-like outer tail feathers ending in dark blue racket tips and fluffy white leg puffs. A cloud forest icon.