Slender Sheartail vs Sword-billed Hummingbird
Doricha enicura compared with Ensifera ensifera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Slender Sheartail | Sword-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Doricha enicura | Ensifera ensifera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.3 cm (2.9 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 2.4333333333333336 g (0.09 oz) | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on floral nectar from forest-edge blossoms, probing with its long decurved bill. Catches small … | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Slender Sheartail
Thin, wavering sibilant trill; soft high buzzing with slight pulsing quality during courtship hover display.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Slender Sheartail
Endemic to the highlands of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador at 1,200-2,500 m. Resident in montane scrub and forest edges.
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Conservation Status
Slender Sheartail
Sword-billed Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Slender Sheartail
Costa's Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant violet gorget with elongated sides; metallic green above; females plain green; spotted
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
About These Birds
Slender Sheartail
A tiny hummingbird (9-10 cm including elongated tail in males) endemic to the highlands of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador at 1,200-2,500 m. Males have extremely long, slender outer tail feathers. Nectarivore of montane scrub and garden flowers.
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.