Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaeochroa cuvierii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Scaly-breasted Sabrewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaeochroa cuvierii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | — |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 8.959999999999999 g (0.32 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Visits flowering trees and epiphytes for nectar; supplements diet with small arthropods including gnats, midges, … |
| 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.
Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
Sharp, emphatic chip note with bright projection; single clean staccato sound repeated persistently near territory.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
Found in humid forests from Guatemala to Colombia and Venezuela. Resident in lowland forest undergrowth and edges.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
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
Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
Lesser Ground-cuckoo: rufous below; brown-barred above; blue orbital ring; long broad tail; blue eye ring; tropical ground dweller
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.
Scaly-breasted Sabrewing
A large hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in humid forests from Guatemala to Colombia and Venezuela. Green plumage with a scaly breast pattern. Large bill. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges, visiting banana flowers. The only member of its genus.