Sword-billed Hummingbird vs White-crested Coquette
Ensifera ensifera compared with Lophornis adorabilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | White-crested Coquette |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Lophornis adorabilis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 7.6 cm (3.0 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 2.645 g (0.09 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of cloud-forest borders; forages at diverse small flowers. Catches tiny insects in rapid hovering … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| 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.
White-crested Coquette
Harsh, crackling buzz with emphatic onset; abrupt rough trill issuing suddenly from dense shrub then stopping.
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.
White-crested Coquette
Found from Costa Rica south through Panama to western Colombia on the Pacific slope in foothill forest. 300–1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
White-crested Coquette
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
White-crested Coquette
Anna's Hummingbird: males with glittering rose-red gorget extending to crown; metallic green back; females green with spotted throat
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.
White-crested Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7 cm) found in humid forests and edges of Costa Rica and western Panama. Males have a white crest and rufous cheek plumes. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest canopy and edges. The species epithet adorabilis reflects its charming appearance.