Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Greenish Puffleg
Ensifera ensifera compared with Haplophaedia aureliae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Greenish Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Haplophaedia aureliae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.666666666666667 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Andean cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and epiphyte flowers in wet mossy habitats. Catches … |
| 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.
Greenish Puffleg
Thin, sibilant twittering with silver quality; high airy notes cascading softly near flowering canopy trees.
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.
Greenish Puffleg
Found on both Andean slopes from Panama south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 800–2,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Greenish 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
Greenish Puffleg
Sparkling Violetear: males with brilliant iridescent blue gorget; metallic green body; violet ear patch; females green with spots 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.
Greenish Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 900-2,500 m. Green plumage with fluffy white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest understory. Named puffleg for the distinctive cotton-like tufts on the legs.