Red-billed Emerald vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Chlorostilbon gibsoni compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-billed Emerald | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chlorostilbon gibsoni | 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 | 3.4 g (0.12 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on floral nectar in lowland Venezuelan scrub and forest. Gleans insects and spiders to … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Red-billed Emerald only
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Red-billed Emerald
Harsh, buzzy chatter with urgency; rough staccato notes escalating quickly during competitive flower territory dispute.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Red-billed Emerald
Found in dry valleys and scrub of Colombia and Venezuela. Resident in arid and semi-arid habitats at low elevations.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Red-billed Emerald
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Red-billed Emerald
Versicolored Emerald: males with glittering multicolored gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spots
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Red-billed Emerald
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in dry valleys and scrub of Colombia and Venezuela. Bright green plumage with a red bill with dark tip. Nectarivore of arid and semi-arid habitats. Named after the naturalist William Gibson.
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.