Amazilia Hummingbird vs Ecuadorian Hillstar

Amazilis amazilia compared with Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Amazilia Hummingbird Ecuadorian Hillstar
Scientific Name Amazilis amazilia Oreotrochilus chimborazo
Order Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Family Trochilidae Trochilidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan — 14.8 cm (5.8 in)
Weight 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz) 8.383333333333333 g (0.30 oz)
Diet Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet … Nectarivore of Ecuadorian highland páramo; visits Chuquiraga jussieui and Puya. Takes small insects on cold …
Clutch Size 2 2
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Amazilia Hummingbird only

Ecuadorian Hillstar only

Song & Call Comparison

Amazilia Hummingbird

Song

Buzzy, high-pitched trill with insect-like quality; rapid sustained vibration barely distinguishable from insects.

Ecuadorian Hillstar

Song

Harsh, grating screech with urgent tone; sudden loud rough call given sharply during aerial chase sequences.

Geographic Range & Migration

Amazilia Hummingbird

Found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Resident in desert scrub and river valleys.

Ecuadorian Hillstar

Endemic to Chimborazo and neighboring volcanoes in Ecuador in high páramo at 3,500–5,200 m. Nationally iconic.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Amazilia Hummingbird

Least Concern

Ecuadorian Hillstar

About These Birds

Amazilia Hummingbird

A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Green plumage with variable rusty-orange underparts. Nectarivore of desert scrub, gardens, and river valleys. Adapted to arid Pacific environments.

Ecuadorian Hillstar

A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to the highlands of Ecuador at 3,500-5,200 m, notably on Chimborazo volcano. Males have a violet-blue hood and white breast. One of the world's highest-living birds, adapted to extreme altitude with enhanced oxygen-carrying capacity.

More Birds to Explore