Bird Guide

Fawn-breasted Brilliant vs Violet-fronted Brilliant

Fawn-breasted Brilliant (Heliodoxa rubinoides)

Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Heliodoxa rubinoides

Tiny8 gForest

The fawn-breasted brilliant is a medium-sized hummingbird, measuring 11 to 13 cm (4.3 to 5.1 in) in length and weighing approximately 7.2 to 10.2 g (0.25 to 0.36 oz). The bill is stout, fairly long (22–27 mm (0.87–1.06 in)), slightly decurved, and black. Adult males have shining bronzy-green upperparts, with coppery tones on the wing coverts and a slightly forked, coppery-green tail. The underparts are warm buffy-cinnamon, with irregular green spotting on the flanks and throat sides. A distinctive feature is the small, isolated pinkish to lilac gorget patch on the lower throat. Voice: The fawn-breasted brilliant produces two main vocalizations: a series of sharp, metallic "tchik" notes, often given in rapid succession as an alarm or territorial warning, and a common "swi-swi-swi-swu" call. Non-vocal communication includes the audible buzzing of wings during flight and displays, as well as tail fanning during aggressive or courtship interactions.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Zamora-Chinchipe: Cerro Plateado camp 2, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK · CC BY 2.0
Violet-fronted Brilliant (Heliodoxa leadbeateri)

Violet-fronted Brilliant

Heliodoxa leadbeateri

Tiny7 gForest

The violet-fronted brilliant is 11 to 13 cm (4.3 to 5.1 in) long. Males weigh 7.1 to 8.5 g (0.25 to 0.30 oz) and females 6.6 to 7.5 g (0.23 to 0.26 oz). Both sexes have a medium length, almost straight, black bill, a white malar streak, and a small white spot behind the eye. They both have a forked tail but the female's is less deeply indented than the male's. Males of the nominate subspecies have bronzy green upperparts with a glittering blue forehead and a coppery neck. They have a glittering emerald green gorget and a dull bronzy green breast and belly. Voice: What is thought to be the violet-brilliant's song is "a continuous series of single strident 'chup' or 'tchep' notes". It also makes "a repeated, bright, descending phrase 'whee-tsee-tsee-tsew' that sounds like a jerky twittering."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ana Agreda, Aves y Conservación · Public domain

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Fawn-breasted Brilliant and Violet-fronted Brilliant.