Rufous-booted Racket-tail vs Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Ocreatus addae compared with Selasphorus platycercus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-booted Racket-tail | Broad-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ocreatus addae | Selasphorus platycercus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 9.8 cm (3.9 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.4875000000000003 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Bolivian and Peruvian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … | Nectarivore of high-altitude meadows, visiting paintbrush and Penstemon. Captures insects and spiders to supplement nectar … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Rufous-booted Racket-tail only
None
Broad-tailed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Deep, resonant hum barely audible; extremely low vibration barely perceptible during hovering near high-altitude flowers.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rapid, buzzy chips in excited sequence; rough staccato notes tumbling quickly with energetic quality near flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Found in cloud forests of northern Bolivia and adjacent Peru and Brazil at 400–1,400 m elevation.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Found in mountain meadows of western North America from Idaho to Guatemala at 1,500-3,500 m. Breeds in highlands; winters south.
Conservation Status
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
Golden-bellied Starfrontlet: tiny; males with brilliant orange-gold belly; violet gorget; females green above; spotted buff below
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Copper-rumped Hummingbird: males with iridescent copper rump; metallic green above; glittering violet gorget; females green; spots
About These Birds
Rufous-booted Racket-tail
A small hummingbird (8-10 cm plus tail rackets) found in Andean cloud forests of southeastern Peru and Bolivia at 1,200-2,200 m. Males have rufous leg puffs instead of white. Recently split from Booted Racket-tail. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10 cm) found in mountain meadows of the western US from Idaho to Guatemala at 1,500-3,500 m. Males produce a distinctive metallic trilling sound with their tail feathers during display dives. Rose-magenta gorget. Nectarivore of mountain wildflowers.