Gould's Inca vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Coeligena inca compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Gould's Inca | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena inca | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.6 cm (5.7 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 7.0 g (0.25 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Peruvian and Bolivian cloud forest; forages at diverse Ericaceae and Clusia blooms. Gleans … | 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
Gould's Inca
Pure, bell-like tone with long resonance; single clear note ringing out in open Andean grassland then fading.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Gould's Inca
Endemic to the eastern Andean slopes of Peru and Bolivia in cloud forest at 1,200–2,800 m elevation.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Gould's Inca
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Gould's Inca
Shining Sunbeam (alt): males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic bronze-green; large white tuft; females plain; white pectoral tuft
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Gould's Inca
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Peru and Bolivia at 2,000-3,000 m. Green plumage similar to Collared Inca. Nectarivore of montane forest. Named after John Gould. Sometimes considered a subspecies of Collared Inca.
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.