Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Black-breasted Puffleg
Ensifera ensifera compared with Eriocnemis nigrivestis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Black-breasted Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Eriocnemis nigrivestis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 4.449999999999999 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Andean montane Ericaceae and epiphyte flowers; fluffy leg puffs visible during hover. Gleans … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
None
Black-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.
Black-breasted Puffleg
Soft, sustained hum barely audible; extremely faint low-frequency sound audible only at very close range.
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.
Black-breasted Puffleg
Endemic to the western Andes of Ecuador, primarily the Pichincha and Imbabura regions. 2,800–3,600 m. Critically endangered.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Black-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
Black-breasted Puffleg
Violet-fronted Brilliant: males with glittering violet forehead; metallic green above; white belly; females green above; spotted below
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.
Black-breasted Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the northwestern Andes of Ecuador at 2,500-3,200 m. Males have a black breast and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of cloud forest and forest edges. Critically Endangered with fewer than 250 individuals estimated remaining.