White-browed Hermit vs Great Sapphirewing
Phaethornis stuarti compared with Pterophanes cyanopterus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-browed Hermit | Great Sapphirewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis stuarti | Pterophanes cyanopterus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.2 cm (2.8 in) | 21.0 cm (8.3 in) |
| Weight | 2.48 g (0.09 oz) | 10.05 g (0.35 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore trap-lining Heliconia patches in humid lowland forest. Supplements with arthropods for breeding protein demands. | Nectarivore of high Andean cloud forest and treeline; one of the largest hummingbirds. Visits Ericaceae … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-browed Hermit
Deep, resonant trill with powerful carrying quality; rich vibrating sound audible at great distance in still air.
Great Sapphirewing
Buzzy, insect-like trill with pulsing rhythm; high-frequency vibration with slight amplitude modulation near flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-browed Hermit
Endemic to Bolivia and adjacent southwestern Brazil in the Amazon basin. Found in lowland forest at 150–600 m elevation.
Great Sapphirewing
Found in high Andean cloud forests and páramo from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 2,400–3,800 m.
Conservation Status
White-browed Hermit
Great Sapphirewing
About These Birds
White-browed Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean foothill forests from Peru to Bolivia at 800-1,800 m elevation. Green plumage with white eyebrow stripe and buffy underparts. Nectarivore of cloud forest undergrowth. Named after the Austrian naturalist Karl Stuart.
Great Sapphirewing
A large hummingbird (18 cm, wingspan 28 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,500-3,500 m. Brilliant sapphire-blue wings, green body, and long tail. One of the largest hummingbirds. Nectarivore of montane forest, visiting large-flowered Ericaceae.