Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Ensifera ensifera compared with Heliomaster squamosus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Stripe-breasted Starthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Heliomaster squamosus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.2 cm (4.4 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.75 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Brazilian savanna and forest edges; visits Mimosa and other open-country flowers. Supplements with … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Stripe-breasted 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.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Sharp, whistled descending phrase; clean notes stepping down smoothly with melodic precision 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.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Found in semi-arid scrub and caatinga of eastern Brazil from Pará south to Minas Gerais. Sea level to 800 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Stripe-breasted 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
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Mexican Sheartail (alt): males with iridescent magenta gorget; metallic green above; white belly; deeply forked tail; females plain
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.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in cerrado and dry forests of eastern and central Brazil. Green plumage with a striped breast and glittering purple throat. Nectarivore of open woodland and garden flowers. A Brazilian near-endemic.