Rufous-breasted Hermit vs Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Glaucis hirsutus compared with Amazilia tzacatl

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Rufous-breasted Hermit	Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
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	Glaucis	Amazilia
Species	Glaucis hirsutus	Amazilia tzacatl

Evolutionary Relationship

Rufous-breasted Hermit and Rufous-tailed Hummingbird share a common ancestor at the Family level: Trochilidae.

Conservation Status

Rufous-breasted Hermit

LC — Least Concern

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Rufous-breasted Hermit	Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Rufous-breasted Hermit

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Rufous-breasted Hermit

A large hermit hummingbird of humid lowland and foothill forests from Central America through the Amazon basin, rufous-breasted hermits have cinnamon-rufous breast and underpart plumage contrasting with bronzy-green upper parts and a long curved bill. Males gather at leks — communal singing assemblies — where they perform vocal displays to attract females. They follow trap-line routes through dense forest understory. Important pollinators of large Heliconia flowers in tropical rainforest.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

One of the most common hummingbirds in Central America and northwestern South America, rufous-tailed hummingbirds are medium-sized with green upper parts and a diagnostic bright rufous-orange tail. Found from Mexico to Ecuador and Trinidad in a wide range of habitats including forest edges, gardens, plantations, and secondary growth from sea level to 2,100 meters. Aggressive territory defenders at feeders and flowering plants, they are frequently seen in gardens across their range. Listed as Least Concern.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway 🇻🇪 Venezuela