Long-tailed Sylph vs Small-leaved Myrtle

Aglaiocercus kingii compared with Eugenia verdoorniae

Key Differences

  • Long-tailed Sylph is Least Concern while Small-leaved Myrtle is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Long-tailed Sylph Small-leaved Myrtle
Kingdom Animalia (Animals) Plantae (Plants)
Phylum Chordata (Chordates) Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class Aves (Birds) Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order Apodiformes (Apodiformes) Myrtales (Myrtales)
Family Trochilidae Myrtaceae
Genus Aglaiocercus Eugenia
Species Aglaiocercus kingii Eugenia verdoorniae

Conservation Status

Long-tailed Sylph

LC — Least Concern

Small-leaved Myrtle

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Long-tailed Sylph Small-leaved Myrtle
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Long-tailed Sylph

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Small-leaved Myrtle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Long-tailed Sylph

One of the most strikingly ornamented hummingbirds, male long-tailed sylphs have iridescent green plumage and dramatically elongated, ribbon-like outer tail feathers reaching up to 22 cm — over three times the body length. Found in Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Venezuela, they inhabit humid montane forest between 1,400–2,800 meters elevation. Males perform elaborate display flights to attract females. Their extravagant tails are a classic example of sexual selection via female preference.

Small-leaved Myrtle

No description available.

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