Sapphire-throated Hummingbird vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Chrysuronia coeruleogularis compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sapphire-throated Hummingbird | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chrysuronia coeruleogularis | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.133333333333333 g (0.15 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on floral nectar in forest understory, hovering at Heliconia and bromeliads. Supplements with spiders … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird only
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
High, thin chip note with silvery sibilant ending; soft twittering sequence given quietly during active foraging.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
Found in tropical lowlands from Honduras to Venezuela and Ecuador. Resident in Caribbean 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
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
White-browed Coucal: white supercilium; brown-streaked above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; bold eye stripe
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Sapphire-throated Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in tropical lowlands from Honduras to Venezuela and Ecuador. Males have a deep sapphire-blue throat. Green body. Nectarivore of forest edges and gardens. Found primarily in Caribbean lowland habitats.
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.