Marvelous Spatuletail vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Loddigesia mirabilis compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Marvelous Spatuletail | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Loddigesia mirabilis | Nesophlox lyrura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.4 cm (3.3 in) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of northern Peruvian cloud forest. Visits Ericaceae and Alstroemeria flowers; supplements with small arthropods. | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Marvelous Spatuletail
Extraordinarily high, thin squeak barely audible; minute twittering notes almost beyond perception, given rarely by male.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Marvelous Spatuletail
Endemic to a small area of the Río Utcubamba valley in Amazonas region, Peru at 2,100–2,900 m. Endangered.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Marvelous Spatuletail
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Marvelous Spatuletail
Emerald-bellied Puffleg: males with iridescent violet gorget; metallic emerald-green above; white belly; females green above; spots
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
About These Birds
Marvelous Spatuletail
One of the world's most extraordinary hummingbirds (10 cm body, males with 15 cm tail rackets). Males have two extremely long outer tail feathers ending in large, iridescent violet-blue discs. Endemic to a tiny area of northern Peru. Critically Endangered. Fewer than 1,000 individuals.
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.