Black-bellied Thorntail vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Discosura langsdorffi compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-bellied Thorntail | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Discosura langsdorffi | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.0 cm (2.8 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 3.2 g (0.11 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting diverse canopy flowers in humid Amazonian forest. Takes small arthropods in aerial hover-gleaning. | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Black-bellied Thorntail only
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Black-bellied Thorntail
Deep, hollow churring with resonant character; prolonged low buzzing sound vibrating persistently through dense foliage.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-bellied Thorntail
Found in lowland Amazonian forest from southeastern Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 100–600 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
Black-bellied Thorntail
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-bellied Thorntail
Red-tailed Comet: males with glittering green gorget; brilliant coppery-bronze crown; metallic green back; reddish tail; females duller
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Black-bellied Thorntail
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm plus extended tail feathers) found in lowland forests from eastern Colombia through Amazonia to Bolivia and Brazil. Males have dark belly and long, wire-like outer tail feathers with racket tips. Nectarivore of forest canopy and edges.
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.