Gray-chinned Hermit vs Sooty-capped Hermit

Phaethornis griseogularis compared with Phaethornis augusti

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gray-chinned Hermit	Sooty-capped Hermit
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family same	Trochilidae	Trochilidae
Genus same	Phaethornis	Phaethornis
Species	Phaethornis griseogularis	Phaethornis augusti

Evolutionary Relationship

Gray-chinned Hermit and Sooty-capped Hermit share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Phaethornis.

Conservation Status

Gray-chinned Hermit

LC — Least Concern

Sooty-capped Hermit

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gray-chinned Hermit	Sooty-capped Hermit
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gray-chinned Hermit

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Sooty-capped Hermit

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Norway, and Venezuela.

Gray-chinned Hermit

A small, inconspicuous hermit hummingbird of dry and humid forests in the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia, gray-chinned hermits have brownish upper parts, grey chin, and pale buff underparts with a white-tipped central tail — a subtle palette compared to many hummingbirds. They inhabit forest understorey and shrubby forest edge at elevations of 300–1,600 meters, following systematic trap-line routes to visit flowering plants. Males gather at leks to attract females through persistent vocalization.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇻🇪 Venezuela