Buffy Hummingbird vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Leucippus fallax compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buffy Hummingbird | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucippus fallax | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 5.533333333333334 g (0.20 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Buffy Hummingbird
Thin, sibilant buzz with wavering quality; soft high trill with gentle tremolo near blossoming shrubs.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Buffy Hummingbird
Found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Resident in desert-like coastal environments.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Buffy Hummingbird
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Buffy Hummingbird
Greater Roadrunner: brown-streaked above; white below with dark streaks; bare blue-red orbital skin; long tail; shaggy crest; runs fast
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Buffy Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Buffy-brown plumage, drab for a hummingbird. Nectarivore of arid scrub, cactus flowers, and gardens. One of the few hummingbirds adapted to dry, desert-like environments.
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.