Black-tailed Trainbearer vs Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Lesbia victoriae compared with Ocreatus addae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-tailed Trainbearer | Rufous-booted Racket-tail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lesbia victoriae | Ocreatus addae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) | — |
| Weight | 4.9 g (0.17 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Andean dry inter-valley scrub; visits Salvia, Lupinus, and Calceolaria. Supplements with small arthropods. | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Black-tailed Trainbearer only
Rufous-booted Racket-tail only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Sharp, crackling trill with percussive edge; rapid dry notes delivered forcefully near active competitive territory.
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Found in high Andean scrub and open habitats from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 2,500–4,200 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
Black-tailed Trainbearer
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
About These Birds
Black-tailed Trainbearer
A spectacular hummingbird (10 cm body + 15 cm tail in males) found in Andean highlands from Colombia to Peru at 2,500-4,000 m. Males have extraordinarily long, black outer tail streamers. Nectarivore of páramo and cloud forest edges. Named for its dramatic trailing tail feathers.
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.