Scaled Fruiteater vs Sparkling Violetear

Ampelioides tschudii compared with Colibri coruscans

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Scaled Fruiteater	Sparkling Violetear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Passeriformes (Songbirds)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Cotingidae	Trochilidae
Genus	Ampelioides	Colibri
Species	Ampelioides tschudii	Colibri coruscans

Evolutionary Relationship

Scaled Fruiteater and Sparkling Violetear share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

View Class: Aves

Conservation Status

Scaled Fruiteater

LC — Least Concern

Sparkling Violetear

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Scaled Fruiteater	Sparkling Violetear
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Scaled Fruiteater

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Sparkling Violetear

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Scaled Fruiteater

Scaled Fruiteater (Ampelioides tschudii) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Sparkling Violetear

A large, brilliant hummingbird of the Andes and high Venezuelan tepuis, sparkling violetears display glittering blue-green plumage with an iridescent violet-blue ear patch and chin that sparkle intensely in sunlight — delivering on their evocative name. Found at elevations of 1,200–3,000 meters across Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in montane forest and scrub. Among the most common Andean hummingbirds, they are highly aggressive and vocal territory defenders at flower patches.