Common Awl Robberfly vs Speckled Hummingbird

Neoitamus cyanurus compared with Adelomyia melanogenys

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Awl Robberfly	Speckled Hummingbird
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Asilidae	Trochilidae
Genus	Neoitamus	Adelomyia
Species	Neoitamus cyanurus	Adelomyia melanogenys

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Awl Robberfly and Speckled Hummingbird share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Awl Robberfly

LC — Least Concern

Speckled Hummingbird

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Awl Robberfly	Speckled Hummingbird
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Awl Robberfly

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Speckled Hummingbird

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Common Awl Robberfly

<em>Neoitamus cyanurus</em>, commonly known as the Common Awl Robberfly, is a predatory dipteran insect in the family Asilidae. This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is distributed across northern and western Europe, including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Like all robber flies, the Common Awl Robberfly is an active aerial predator that captures other flying insects in mid-flight, using its strong legs and piercing mouthparts to subdue and consume prey. Adults typically frequent open and semi-open habitats such as forest clearings, heathlands, and sunny woodland edges where prey insects are abundant. The larvae are believed to develop in soil or decaying wood, where they feed on other invertebrate larvae. Adults are typically observed perching on bare ground or low vegetation, from which they launch short, rapid flights to intercept passing prey. Their robust build, bristly body, and forward-pointing beak are characteristic features of the Asilidae family. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Speckled Hummingbird

A medium-sized hummingbird with speckled or spotted underparts — unusual among hummingbirds dominated by plain or iridescent plumages — speckled hummingbirds inhabit cloud forest and forest edges in the Andes from Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia at elevations of 900–3,000 meters. The spotted underpart pattern provides remarkable camouflage when the bird perches on lichen-covered bark. They forage on nectar and small arthropods and are important pollinators of Andean epiphytes.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway