White-throated Mountain-gem vs Great Sapphirewing
Lampornis castaneoventris compared with Pterophanes cyanopterus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-throated Mountain-gem | Great Sapphirewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lampornis castaneoventris | Pterophanes cyanopterus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) | 21.0 cm (8.3 in) |
| Weight | 5.58 g (0.20 oz) | 10.05 g (0.35 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Costa Rican highlands; visits diverse cloud-forest flowers. Supplements diet with small insects and … | Nectarivore of high Andean cloud forest and treeline; one of the largest hummingbirds. Visits Ericaceae … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-throated Mountain-gem
Thin, reedy trill with wavering quality; soft rapid notes with gentle tremolo effect given from cover.
Great Sapphirewing
Buzzy, insect-like trill with pulsing rhythm; high-frequency vibration with slight amplitude modulation near flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-throated Mountain-gem
Endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama in cloud forest. 1,200–2,800 m. Resident.
Great Sapphirewing
Found in high Andean cloud forests and páramo from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 2,400–3,800 m.
Conservation Status
White-throated Mountain-gem
Great Sapphirewing
About These Birds
White-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama at 1,000-2,500 m. Males have a white throat and chestnut belly. Nectarivore of cloud forest and forest edges. A Talamanca-Chiriquí endemic.
Great Sapphirewing
A large hummingbird (18 cm, wingspan 28 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,500-3,500 m. Brilliant sapphire-blue wings, green body, and long tail. One of the largest hummingbirds. Nectarivore of montane forest, visiting large-flowered Ericaceae.