Indigo-capped Hummingbird vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Amazilia cyanifrons compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indigo-capped Hummingbird | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amazilia cyanifrons | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.2 cm (4.4 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 5.0 g (0.18 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian Andes foothills; visits diverse lowland blossoms and supplements with small arthropods. | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Indigo-capped Hummingbird only
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Indigo-capped Hummingbird
Buzzy, sustained monotone trill; continuous low vibration with minimal variation across delivery period.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Indigo-capped Hummingbird
Found in humid forests of Colombia at 500-1,800 m elevation. A Colombian near-endemic of Andean foothills.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Indigo-capped Hummingbird
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Indigo-capped Hummingbird
Andaman Coucal: dark black-glossed overall; rufous-brown wings; graduated black tail; red eye; island endemic; similar to Greater
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Indigo-capped Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in humid forests of Colombia at 500-1,800 m. Males have an iridescent indigo-blue crown cap. Green body. Nectarivore of forest edges and gardens. A Colombian near-endemic.
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.