Long-billed Starthroat
Heliomaster longirostris
The long-billed starthroat is 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) long. Males weigh 5.5 to 7.1 g (0.19 to 0.25 oz) and females about 6.5 g (0.23 oz). Both sexes of all subspecies have a long, almost straight, black bill and a small white spot behind the eye. Males of the nominate subspecies have a glittering blue to greenish blue crown; the rest of its upperparts are dark bronzy green with the exception of a white stripe down the center of the rump. The face is black below the crown and has a white malar stripe below the black. Its tail is rather short and square-tipped. Voice: The long-billed starthroat's calls include "a rich liquid 'tseep' or 'tsew'" and "sqeaky twitters"; the latter is made during chases.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Heliomaster squamosus
The stripe-breasted starthroat is 11.2 to 12.4 cm (4.4 to 4.9 in) long and weighs 5 to 6.5 g (0.18 to 0.23 oz). Both sexes have a long, slightly decurved, black bill, a white streak behind the eye, and a white "moustache". Both have a forked tail but the female's is less deeply indented than the male's. Males in breeding plumage have bronzy green upperparts with an iridescent green crown. Their gorget is glittering violet and the sides of it flare out. Their underparts are greenish-black with a white stripe down the middle. The central tail feathers are black and the rest are dark blue-green. Voice: What is thought to be the stripe-breasted starthroat's song is "a subdued, buzzy scratchy warble 'bzzzrrrr..bzzzrrr..chi-chi-chi-chi..bzrrr'." It also makes "a liquid 'tsik'" call.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Long-billed Starthroat and Stripe-breasted Starthroat.