Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem vs Sooty Barbthroat
Lampornis amethystinus compared with Threnetes niger
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem | Sooty Barbthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lampornis amethystinus | Threnetes niger |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 13.1 cm (5.2 in) | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) |
| Weight | 5.6000000000000005 g (0.20 oz) | 5.8 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Mexican and Central American montane pine-oak forest; visits Ericaceae and Salvia. Gleans arthropods. | Primarily nectarivore visiting tubular flowers; supplements diet with small insects and spiders for protein. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Pure, sustained flute-like tone held steady; single clear note with barely perceptible vibrato in tropical shade.
Sooty Barbthroat
Melodic, descending whistle with rich timbre; smooth pure tone dropping gracefully through several semitones then fading.
Geographic Range & Migration
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Found in montane forest from Mexico south through Guatemala and Honduras to El Salvador. 1,000–3,200 m.
Sooty Barbthroat
Found in a restricted range in northeastern Brazil and adjacent French Guiana. Resident in coastal rainforest. Rare and locally distributed.
Conservation Status
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Sooty Barbthroat
How to Tell Them Apart
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
Bumblebee Hummingbird: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted
Sooty Barbthroat
Dark sooty-brown and green upperparts; sooty-dark throat and breast; belly pale grey-buff; tail dark with pale tip; Guiana region endemic; distinctly darker and sootier below than other barbthroats with heavily …
About These Birds
Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in mountain forests from Mexico to Honduras at 1,000-3,000 m. Males have an amethyst-purple throat. Nectarivore of pine-oak and cloud forest. Commonly visits feeders in Mexican highland gardens.
Sooty Barbthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-12 cm) found in humid lowland forests of the eastern Amazon basin and the Guianas. Dark sooty-green plumage. Nectarivore of dense forest undergrowth. One of the least known hermit hummingbirds due to its restricted range in remote forests.