Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs White-tailed Hillstar
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Urochroa leucura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | White-tailed Hillstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Urochroa leucura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 14.7 cm (5.8 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 9.774999999999999 g (0.34 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of Peruvian montane shrubs; forages at Ericaceae and Puya flowers. Supplements with small insects. |
| 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.
White-tailed Hillstar
Sharp, emphatic two-note call; high accented first note followed by softer brief second, repeated persistently.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
White-tailed Hillstar
Found on the eastern Andean slope of Peru and Bolivia in montane cloud forest. 1,000–2,600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
White-tailed Hillstar
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
White-tailed Hillstar
Dusky Starfrontlet: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic bronze-green; white flanks; females green above; spotted underparts
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.
White-tailed Hillstar
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Peru and Bolivia at 2,000-3,500 m. Green plumage with white outer tail feathers visible in flight. Nectarivore of montane forest. Recently split from Rufous-gaped Hillstar.