Amazilia Hummingbird vs Black-breasted Hillstar
Amazilis amazilia compared with Oreotrochilus melanogaster
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Amazilia Hummingbird | Black-breasted Hillstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amazilis amazilia | Oreotrochilus melanogaster |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 14.4 cm (5.7 in) |
| Weight | 5.066666666666666 g (0.18 oz) | 7.75 g (0.27 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from flowering shrubs and epiphytes. Catches small insects and spiders to meet … | Nectarivore of Bolivian altiplano; forages at Ericaceae and Chuquiraga in arid puna. Takes small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Amazilia Hummingbird only
Black-breasted Hillstar only
Song & Call Comparison
Amazilia Hummingbird
Buzzy, high-pitched trill with insect-like quality; rapid sustained vibration barely distinguishable from insects.
Black-breasted Hillstar
Rapid, light chips in animated sequence; bright staccato notes with bouncy quality during active territorial display.
Geographic Range & Migration
Amazilia Hummingbird
Found in arid coastal lowlands of western Peru and Ecuador. Resident in desert scrub and river valleys.
Black-breasted Hillstar
Endemic to central and southern Peru in the Andes in puna grassland and scrub at 3,500–4,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Amazilia Hummingbird
Black-breasted Hillstar
How to Tell Them Apart
Amazilia Hummingbird
Coucal (Celebes): dark glossy black above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; Sulawesi island endemic coucal
Black-breasted Hillstar
Peruvian Sheartail: males with glittering rose-red gorget; metallic green back; white underparts; females green above; pale spotted below
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.
Black-breasted Hillstar
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in the Andes of central Peru at 3,000-4,500 m. Males have a black breast contrasting with green upperparts and white belly. Nectarivore of puna grasslands and rocky slopes. An endemic of Peru's central Andean highlands.