Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Great-billed Hermit
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaethornis malaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Great-billed Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaethornis malaris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 6.4799999999999995 g (0.23 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore trap-lining Heliconia patches in humid lowland forest. Supplements with arthropods for breeding protein demands. |
| 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.
Great-billed Hermit
Melodic, two-note whistle repeated persistently; first note pure and high, second slightly lower, given every few seconds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Great-billed Hermit
Widespread in Amazonian lowlands from Colombia and the Guianas south through Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 0–800 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Great-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
Great-billed Hermit
Festive Coquette: males with elongated black-tipped crest; iridescent green gorget; white collar band; females with plain rufous crown
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.
Great-billed Hermit
A large hermit hummingbird (15-17 cm), the largest in the genus, found in lowland Amazonian forests from Colombia to Brazil and Bolivia. Green plumage with a massive curved bill and long tail. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting large Heliconia flowers.