Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Mountain Avocetbill
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Opisthoprora euryptera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Mountain Avocetbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Opisthoprora euryptera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 6.4 g (0.23 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of high montane forest; upturned bill tip accesses pendant epiphyte flowers. Gleans small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Mountain Avocetbill
Thin, high-pitched twittering; delicate cascade of light notes with silvery quality delivered during aerial foraging.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Mountain Avocetbill
Found on both Andean slopes in Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest at 2,000–3,200 m elevation. Uncommon.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mountain Avocetbill
How to Tell Them Apart
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white below
Mountain Avocetbill
Cozumel Emerald: tiny; males with glittering magenta gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
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.
Mountain Avocetbill
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) with a distinctive upturned bill tip, unique among hummingbirds. Green plumage. Found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,400-3,500 m. Nectarivore specializing in pendant flowers. The only member of its genus.