Mexican Sheartail vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Doricha eliza compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mexican Sheartail | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Doricha eliza | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.7 cm (3.0 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 2.5 g (0.09 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of dry scrub and coastal dunes, visiting Agave and Ipomoea flowers. Supplements with insects … | 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
Mexican Sheartail only
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Mexican Sheartail
Melodic, three-note ascending call; pure warm tones stepping upward smoothly, given clearly from tall perch.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mexican Sheartail
Endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico and Cozumel Island. Classified as Near Threatened due to habitat destruction.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Mexican Sheartail
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Mexican Sheartail
Xantus's Hummingbird: males with glittering green gorget; metallic green above; rufous tail; cinnamon underparts; sexually dimorphic
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Mexican Sheartail
A tiny hummingbird (8-9 cm) endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico and Cozumel Island. Males have elongated, slender outer tail feathers. Nectarivore of coastal scrub and gardens. Classified as Near Threatened due to habitat destruction in its limited range.
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.