Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Golden-breasted Puffleg
Ensifera ensifera compared with Eriocnemis mosquera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Golden-breasted Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Eriocnemis mosquera |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 14.6 cm (5.7 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.625 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian western Andes; visits dense Ericaceae blooms at mid-elevations. Takes small insects. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Golden-breasted Puffleg only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Sharp, emphatic chip note; single clean staccato sound repeated at intervals from prominent perch near nectar flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,700–3,500 m.
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Found in high Andean páramo and upper cloud forest from Colombia to Ecuador at 2,800–4,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Golden-breasted Puffleg
How to Tell Them Apart
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots
Golden-breasted Puffleg
Green-crowned Brilliant: males with glittering ruby gorget; metallic green crown; white postocular stripe; females green above; spotted
About These Birds
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.
Golden-breasted Puffleg
A small hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Ecuador at 2,500-3,500 m. Males have an iridescent golden breast and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and páramo edges. An attractive and relatively conspicuous puffleg.