Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Green-throated Mountain-gem
Ensifera ensifera compared with Lampornis viridipallens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Green-throated Mountain-gem |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Lampornis viridipallens |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.540000000000001 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Mexican highland forest; visits Salvia and other forest-edge flowers. Catches small insects in … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Green-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.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Rapid, mechanical twittering; quick staccato notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above flowering canopy.
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.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Found in highland forest from southern Mexico through Guatemala and Honduras. 1,000–2,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Green-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
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Volcano Hummingbird: males with glittering ruby gorget varying by subspecies; metallic green above; females green above; 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.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) endemic to the highlands of Guatemala and southern Mexico at 1,200-3,000 m. Males have a green throat patch. Nectarivore of cloud forest and pine-oak forest edges. A Central American highland endemic.