Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Sooty-capped Hermit
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaethornis augusti
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Sooty-capped Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaethornis augusti |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 4.916666666666667 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore specializing in Heliconia and other curved tubular flowers. Supplements diet with small spiders and … |
| 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.
Sooty-capped Hermit
Rough, scratchy chatter with coarse texture; series of dry notes scraping together in loose rhythm near nest site.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Sooty-capped Hermit
Found in arid scrub and forest edges of northern Venezuela and adjacent Colombia, including Margarita Island. Sea level to 1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sooty-capped Hermit
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
Sooty-capped Hermit
Great-billed Hermit: tawny underparts; greenish-olive crown; dark mask; white supercilium; massive decurved reddish-based bill; long tail
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.
Sooty-capped Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (12-14 cm) found in montane forests from Venezuela to Peru at 800-2,400 m elevation. Dark sooty cap contrasting with green body and rufous rump. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges. Known for its deep, resonant song.