Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Blue-tufted Starthroat
Ensifera ensifera compared with Heliomaster furcifer
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Blue-tufted Starthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Heliomaster furcifer |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 10.8 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.7 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of open Argentine and Bolivian habitats; visits diverse shrub flowers. Catches small insects in … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
None
Blue-tufted Starthroat only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Buzzy, insect-like trill with rapid modulation; high-frequency buzz sustained briefly then repeated after pause.
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.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Found from Bolivia and Brazil south to Argentina and Uruguay in open woodland and scrub. Sea level to 1,500 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Blue-tufted Starthroat
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
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird: males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic bronze-green; sparkling tail; females green above; spotted
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.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in open habitats from Venezuela and the Guianas through Brazil to Argentina. Green plumage with blue throat tufts (males) and a long, forked tail. Nectarivore of savanna, gardens, and forest edges. Widespread in southern South America.