Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Velvet-browed Brilliant
Ensifera ensifera compared with Heliodoxa xanthogonys
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Velvet-browed Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Heliodoxa xanthogonys |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 6.833333333333333 g (0.24 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore visiting Ericaceae, Fuchsia, and other montane flowers in Andean cloud forest. Takes small insects … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Velvet-browed 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.
Velvet-browed Brilliant
High, shrill screaming call with carrying quality; piercing notes audible at distance across open Andean hillsides.
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.
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Endemic to the tepuis of Venezuela and adjacent Guyana and Brazil in high-altitude forest. 1,200–2,600 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Velvet-browed 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
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Blue-fronted Lancebill: males with iridescent blue forehead; magenta gorget; metallic green; females green above; spotted buff 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.
Velvet-browed Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in tepui highlands of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana. Green plumage with a velvety dark forehead. Nectarivore of tepui forest edges. A Pantepui endemic of very restricted range. Poorly studied.