Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Pirre Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Goldmania bella
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Pirre Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Goldmania bella |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | — |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 3.375 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Darién highland forest; visits bromeliads and epiphytic flowers and supplements with small arthropods. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Pirre Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with wavering quality; soft slightly nasal tone trembling gently in humid forest.
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.
Pirre Hummingbird
Endemic to the Pirre massif of eastern Panama at 700-1,500 m. Extremely restricted Panamanian endemic.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Pirre Hummingbird
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
Pirre Hummingbird
Little Bustard: males with black and white neck pattern; gray-brown above; white wing patches; females streaked brown above; dimorphic
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.
Pirre Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) endemic to the Pirre massif of eastern Panama at 700-1,500 m. Green plumage. Nectarivore of cloud forest. An extremely range-restricted Panamanian endemic found only on Cerro Pirre and adjacent peaks.