Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Planalto Hermit
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phaethornis pretrei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Planalto Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phaethornis pretrei |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.9 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 5.0200000000000005 g (0.18 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore following trap-lining routes through Heliconia and Costus flowers. Catches small arthropods for protein. |
| 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.
Planalto Hermit
Melodic, rising whistle with hopeful quality; smooth ascending note curving upward then briefly hovering before fading.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Planalto Hermit
Endemic to eastern and central Brazil from Piauí and Goiás to Mato Grosso. Found in cerrado and dry forest at 300–800 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Planalto 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
Planalto Hermit
Long-tailed Hermit: rufous below; glossy green crown; broad white supercilium; elongated white-tipped central tail feathers; buff undertail
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.
Planalto Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in cerrado, gallery forests, and dry woodlands of central and eastern Brazil. Green upperparts, pale underparts, and rufous rump with long, white-tipped central tail feathers. Named after the French naturalist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire.