Garden Emerald vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Chlorostilbon assimilis compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Garden Emerald | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chlorostilbon assimilis | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 9.0 cm (3.5 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 3.55 g (0.13 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on floral nectar in lowland Panama gardens and woodland. Catches small insects and spiders … | 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
Garden Emerald
Thin, sibilant buzz with wavering quality; soft high trill with gentle tremolo effect during hover display.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Garden Emerald
Found in humid lowlands from Costa Rica to northern Colombia on the Pacific slope. Resident in gardens and second growth.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Garden Emerald
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Garden Emerald
Plain-bellied Emerald: males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; plain whitish belly; females green above; spotted
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Garden Emerald
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in humid lowlands from Costa Rica to northern Colombia. Bright green plumage. Nectarivore of gardens, second growth, and forest edges. Closely related to Canivet's Emerald. Found primarily on the Pacific slope.
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.