Blue-throated Starfrontlet vs Violet-throated Starfrontlet

Blue-throated Starfrontlet

Coeligena helianthea

Tiny7 gForest

The blue-throated starfrontlet is about 13 cm (5.1 in) long. Males weigh between 7.1 and 7.6 g (0.25 and 0.27 oz) and females 6 to 6.5 g (0.21 to 0.23 oz). Both sexes have a long, straight, black bill and white spot behind the eye. Both have bronzy black forked tails but the female's is less indented than the male's. In poor light the species may appear all dark. However, males of the nominate subspecies have a black head with a dark green forehead. Their upperparts are dark glossed with emerald green while the lower back and rump are dark blue with some violet. Voice: The blue-throated starfrontlet's voice is poorly known. It does make "single, strident 'chit' notes."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: scaup · CC BY 4.0

Violet-throated Starfrontlet

Coeligena violifer

Tiny7 gForest

All four subspecies of violet-throated starfrontlet are 13 to 14.5 cm (5.1 to 5.7 in) long. All have long, straight, black bills, with the females' being longer than the males'. Both sexes of all subspecies have a white spot behind the eye. Both sexes have a forked tail, with the male's more deeply indented than the female's. Males of the nominate subspecies weigh 8 to 13 g (0.28 to 0.46 oz) and females 4 to 6 g (0.14 to 0.21 oz). The male's head is blackish blue and the back shining bronzy green. The tail is orange-buff with small bronzy tips. Voice: What is thought to be the song of the nominate subspecies of violet-throated starfrontlet is "a mellow drawn-out whistle followed by three nasal notes 'drreeeuw…nyeh-nyeh-nyeh'." It also makes "very sweet and mellow" single or double notes. The presumed songs of both C. v. albicaudata and C. v.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Allan Harris · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blue-throated Starfrontlet and Violet-throated Starfrontlet.