Broad-tipped Hermit vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Anopetia gounellei compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Broad-tipped Hermit | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anopetia gounellei | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 9.9 cm (3.9 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar specialist with a long curved bill adapted to heliconia and other tubular flowers; also … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Broad-tipped Hermit
Sharp, piercing squeak followed by rapid chatter; vigorous delivery near territorial boundaries with escalating intensity.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Broad-tipped Hermit
Found in northeastern Brazil from Ceará south to Bahia. Resident in caatinga scrub and dry forest. Restricted to semi-arid northeastern Brazil.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Broad-tipped Hermit
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Broad-tipped Hermit
Tiny; bronze-green upperparts; pale buff underparts; pale supercilium; distinctive broad rounded tail feathers tipped white; dark-based tail with white tips broader than typical hermit tails; Brazilian caatinga specialist.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Broad-tipped Hermit
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in dry scrubland and caatinga of northeastern Brazil. Green plumage with rufous underparts and a distinctive broad, rounded tail. Nectarivore adapted to arid habitats, visiting cactus flowers and bromeliads. A Brazilian 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.