Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Black-backed Thornbill
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Ramphomicron dorsale
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Black-backed Thornbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Ramphomicron dorsale |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 3.5 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of high montane scrub and páramo; short bill suits small compact flowers. Gleans tiny … |
| Clutch Size | 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.
Black-backed Thornbill
Soft, sibilant hissing trill; gentle continuous buzz with slight pulsing quality during slow hover near blossoms.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Black-backed Thornbill
Endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, in high-elevation scrub and páramo. 1,800–3,500 m. Found nowhere else.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Black-backed Thornbill
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
Black-backed Thornbill
Coppery Emerald (alt): males with glittering purple-magenta gorget; metallic green above; white pectoral tufts; females spotted 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.
Black-backed Thornbill
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) endemic to the Santa Marta Mountains of northern Colombia at 3,000-4,600 m. Dark back, tiny bill, and white underparts. Nectarivore of high-altitude páramo. Classified as Vulnerable due to restricted mountain-top habitat.