Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Bronze-tailed Comet
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Polyonymus caroli
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Bronze-tailed Comet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Polyonymus caroli |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 12.9 cm (5.1 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 5.125 g (0.18 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of high puna and queñual woodland; forages at Chuquiraga and Polylepis flowers. Gleans small … |
| 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.
Bronze-tailed Comet
Soft, thin twittering barely audible; delicate minute notes cascading gently almost lost in surrounding forest sounds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Bronze-tailed Comet
Endemic to Peru in the Río Marañón drainage and adjacent valleys in arid scrub and dry forest. 1,800–3,200 m.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Bronze-tailed Comet
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
Bronze-tailed Comet
Esmeraldas Woodstar: males with glittering purple gorget; metallic bronze-green above; white underparts; females green above with spots
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.
Bronze-tailed Comet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-15 cm) endemic to the Andes of Peru at 2,700-4,000 m. Green plumage with a bronze-colored, forked tail. Nectarivore of montane scrub and Polylepis forest. Uncommon and restricted to high-elevation habitats.