Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Minute Hermit
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaethornis idaliae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Minute Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaethornis idaliae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 6.9 cm (2.7 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 2.25 g (0.08 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.
Minute Hermit
Harsh, grating buzz with mechanical quality; abrupt dry trill issued suddenly then stopping, leaving brief startling silence.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Minute Hermit
Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil from Espírito Santo to Santa Catarina. Found at sea level to 900 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Minute 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
Minute Hermit
Buff-tailed Sicklebill: rich chestnut-brown underparts; dark olive-green upperparts; white postocular stripe; strongly decurved bill matching sickle shape
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.
Minute Hermit
A tiny hermit hummingbird (6-7 cm), one of the smallest in its genus. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Green plumage with rufous underparts and a short, curved bill. Nectarivore of low forest undergrowth. Classified as Near Threatened due to habitat loss.