Rufous-tailed Hummingbird vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Amazilia tzacatl compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-tailed Hummingbird | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Amazilia tzacatl | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.3 cm (4.4 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 5.04 g (0.18 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Common lowland nectarivore of Central America; visits Heliconia, banana, and garden flowers. Supplements with insects … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird only
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Deep, resonant trill with buzzing character; powerful churring vibration carrying across open hillside.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Widely distributed from Mexico through Central America to western Ecuador. Resident in varied lowland habitats.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Coucal: entirely rufous-brown overall; long dark graduated tail; red eye; monochromatic rufous plumage; sexually similar
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) widely distributed from Mexico through Central America to western Ecuador. Green plumage with a rufous tail. Red bill with dark tip. Nectarivore of gardens, forest edges, and second growth. One of the most common Neotropical hummingbirds.
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.