Grey-tailed Mountain-gem vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Lampornis cinereicauda compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey-tailed Mountain-gem | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lampornis cinereicauda | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.4 cm (4.9 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 5.425 g (0.19 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Costa Rican and Panamanian cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Salvia. Gleans small … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem
Sharp, crackling chatter with percussive quality; rapid dry notes delivered forcefully near active territory boundary.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem
Found in highland forest of Costa Rica, primarily the Pacific slope Talamanca range. 1,200–2,400 m.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem
Rufous-breasted Sabrewing: males glittering blue-violet gorget; metallic green; rufous breast patch; females green above; spotted
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the Talamanca highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama at 1,400-2,500 m. Males have green plumage with a grey tail. Nectarivore of cloud forest. Closely related to Purple-throated Mountain-gem.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to Jamaica. Males have a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Recently split from Bahama Woodstar. A Jamaican near-endemic.