Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Ensifera ensifera compared with Lampornis calolaemus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Purple-throated Mountain-gem |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Lampornis calolaemus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 12.5 cm (4.9 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.625 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Costa Rican highlands; visits Ericaceae and Fuchsia blooms. Catches small insects near flowering … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Purple-throated Mountain-gem only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Melodic, rolling phrase with rich warm timbre; bubbly musical notes tumbling pleasantly in relaxed 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.
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Found in highland forest from Costa Rica and Nicaragua to Guatemala and Honduras. 600–2,400 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
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
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
Broad-tailed Hummingbird: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females plain green; spots
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.
Purple-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in cloud forests of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama at 800-2,000 m. Males have a brilliant purple throat. Nectarivore of cloud forest and forest edges. Common at highland feeders in Costa Rica.