Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Grey-bellied Comet
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Taphrolesbia griseiventris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Grey-bellied Comet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Taphrolesbia griseiventris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 15.6 cm (6.1 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 8.94 g (0.32 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of Peruvian dry inter-Andean valleys; visits sparse Chuquiraga blooms. Supplements with small insects. |
| 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.
Grey-bellied Comet
Crisp, musical chip with bright quality; single sharp note ringing cleanly, repeated at irregular but frequent intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Grey-bellied Comet
Endemic to the western Andean slope in Peru in arid scrub and intermontane valleys. 2,400–3,800 m. Highly restricted range.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Grey-bellied 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
Grey-bellied Comet
White-bellied Woodstar: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white postocular stripe; females green above; 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.
Grey-bellied Comet
A medium-sized hummingbird (15-18 cm including long tail) endemic to a small range in the Andes of Peru at 3,000-3,500 m. Grey belly and long, forked tail. Nectarivore. Classified as Endangered due to an extremely restricted range. One of the rarest Andean hummingbirds.