White-tailed Starfrontlet vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Coeligena phalerata compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-tailed Starfrontlet | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coeligena phalerata | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.1 cm (5.6 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 6.1 g (0.22 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of restricted Colombian range; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads in humid cloud forest. Supplements with … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
White-tailed Starfrontlet only
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
White-tailed Starfrontlet
Melodic, two-note ascending whistle; pure first tone rising to brighter second, given with clear projection from perch.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-tailed Starfrontlet
Endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, in cloud forest and forest edge. 1,800–3,000 m.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
White-tailed Starfrontlet
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
White-tailed Starfrontlet
Mountain Velvetbreast: tiny; males with brilliant blue-violet 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
White-tailed Starfrontlet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia, at 1,800-3,000 m. Green plumage with white outer tail feathers. Nectarivore of montane forest. A Santa Marta endemic found nowhere else in the world.
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.