Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Straight-billed Hermit
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaethornis bourcieri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Straight-billed Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaethornis bourcieri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 4.2 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of long-tubed lowland flowers, especially Heliconia. Gleans small insects and spiders from leaf surfaces. |
| 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.
Straight-billed Hermit
Crisp, musical chip note with ringing quality; single bright note repeated at measured intervals from prominent perch.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Straight-billed Hermit
Widespread in lowland Amazonia from Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia to Brazil. 0–800 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Straight-billed 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
Straight-billed Hermit
Cinnamon-throated Hermit: deep iridescent violet crown; glittering green gorget; cinnamon-buff throat; buff-white undertail; decurved bill
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.
Straight-billed Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in humid lowland forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia. Green plumage with a notably straight bill, unusual among hermits. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth. Named after the French naturalist Jules Bourcier.