Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Violet-throated Metaltail

Ensifera ensifera مقارنةً بـ Metallura baroni

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Sword-billed Hummingbird Violet-throated Metaltail
الاسم العلمي Ensifera ensifera Metallura baroni
الرتبة Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
الفصيلة Trochilidae Trochilidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Vulnerable
الطول
طول الجناح 15,3 cm (6.0 in) 11,4 cm (4.5 in)
الوزن 12,75 g (0.45 oz) 4,4 g (0.16 oz)
النظام الغذائي Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … Nectarivore of Ecuadorian treeline vegetation; specialized for Ericaceae blooms above 3000 m. Catches small arthropods.
عدد البيض في الوضع -- 2
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Sword-billed Hummingbird only

بلا

Violet-throated Metaltail only

بلا

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Sword-billed Hummingbird

الغناء

Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.

Violet-throated Metaltail

الغناء

Melodic, flute-like phrase with clear quality; smooth notes flowing pleasantly in quiet sequence at forest edge.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.

Violet-throated Metaltail

Endemic to a tiny area in the Cajas plateau region of southwestern Ecuador. 3,000–4,200 m. Critically endangered.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Vulnerable

Violet-throated Metaltail

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Sword-billed Hummingbird

الريش

Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots

Violet-throated Metaltail

الريش

Green-throated Mountain-gem: males with glittering green gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Sword-billed Hummingbird

A remarkable hummingbird (14-15 cm body) with a bill as long as its body (8-10 cm), the longest bill relative to body size of any bird. Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia at 1,700-3,500 m. The extraordinarily long bill evolved to feed on deep tubular Passiflora flowers.

Violet-throated Metaltail

A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) endemic to the Andes of southern Ecuador at 2,500-3,500 m. Males have a violet-purple throat. Nectarivore of cloud forest and páramo edges. Classified as Endangered due to limited range. Named after Baron Erich von Baroni.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family