Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Ecuadorian Piedtail
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Phlogophilus hemileucurus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Ecuadorian Piedtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Phlogophilus hemileucurus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 2.56 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of Andean foothill undergrowth; visits small epiphyte and Heliconia flowers. Supplements with arthropods. |
| 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.
Ecuadorian Piedtail
High, crystalline notes in musical phrase; clear bright sequence ascending smoothly in cheerful morning vocalisation.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Ecuadorian Piedtail
Found on both Andean slopes in Ecuador in humid foothill and lower montane forest. 400–1,600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Ecuadorian Piedtail
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
Ecuadorian Piedtail
Costa's Hummingbird: males with brilliant violet gorget with elongated side gorget feathers; metallic green above; females plain below
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.
Ecuadorian Piedtail
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador at 1,000-2,000 m. Green plumage with white-tipped tail and dusky breast. Nectarivore of montane forest. Found in dense, mossy cloud forest understory. Uncommon.