Lyre-tailed Hummingbird vs Rufous-vented Whitetip
Nesophlox lyrura compared with Urosticte ruficrissa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird | Rufous-vented Whitetip |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nesophlox lyrura | Urosticte ruficrissa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 2.425 g (0.09 oz) | 4.15 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian and Peruvian montane forest; forages at Ericaceae and Fuchsia. Takes 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.
Rufous-vented Whitetip
Pure, bell-like tones in descending sequence; clear musical notes stepping down smoothly with long resonant quality.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Rufous-vented Whitetip
Found on the eastern Andean slope of Ecuador in cloud forest and forest edges. 800–1,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous-vented Whitetip
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
Rufous-vented Whitetip
Glittering Starfrontlet: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; 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.
Rufous-vented Whitetip
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 1,500-2,500 m. Green plumage with rufous vent and white-tipped tail. Nectarivore of montane forest. Closely related to Purple-bibbed Whitetip. Uncommon.