Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Pink-throated Brilliant
Ensifera ensifera compared with Heliodoxa gularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Pink-throated Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Heliodoxa gularis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 12.8 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 6.533333333333334 g (0.23 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Colombian and Venezuelan cloud forest; forages at diverse Ericaceae and epiphyte blooms. Gleans … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Pink-throated Brilliant only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Pink-throated Brilliant
Melodic, flute-like descending phrase; smooth rich notes flowing warmly in relaxed quiet forest morning sequence.
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.
Pink-throated Brilliant
Found on the eastern Andean slope of Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest. 800–1,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Pink-throated Brilliant
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
Pink-throated Brilliant
Green-fronted Lancebill: males with brilliant green forehead; violet gorget; metallic bronze-green; females green; 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.
Pink-throated Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in lowland and foothill forests from Colombia to Peru at 200-1,400 m. Males have a bright pink throat. Nectarivore of humid forest understory. An uncommon species of Andean foothills and adjacent lowlands.