Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Marvelous Spatuletail
Ensifera ensifera compared with Loddigesia mirabilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Marvelous Spatuletail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Loddigesia mirabilis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 8.4 cm (3.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of northern Peruvian cloud forest. Visits Ericaceae and Alstroemeria flowers; supplements with small arthropods. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Marvelous Spatuletail
Extraordinarily high, thin squeak barely audible; minute twittering notes almost beyond perception, given rarely by male.
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.
Marvelous Spatuletail
Endemic to a small area of the Río Utcubamba valley in Amazonas region, Peru at 2,100–2,900 m. Endangered.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Marvelous Spatuletail
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
Marvelous Spatuletail
Emerald-bellied Puffleg: males with iridescent violet gorget; metallic emerald-green above; white belly; females green above; 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.
Marvelous Spatuletail
One of the world's most extraordinary hummingbirds (10 cm body, males with 15 cm tail rackets). Males have two extremely long outer tail feathers ending in large, iridescent violet-blue discs. Endemic to a tiny area of northern Peru. Critically Endangered. Fewer than 1,000 individuals.