Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Black-crested Coquette
Ensifera ensifera compared with Lophornis helenae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Black-crested Coquette |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Lophornis helenae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 7.9 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 2.7 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Central American foothill forest. Defends small flower patches; supplements with tiny 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.
Black-crested Coquette
Rapid, mechanical twittering cascade; quick staccato notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above flowering trees.
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.
Black-crested Coquette
Found from southern Mexico through Central America to western Colombia in lowland and foothill forest. 0–1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Black-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
Black-crested Coquette
Bee Hummingbird: world's smallest bird; males with glittering blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; females plain green above
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.
Black-crested Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7 cm) found in humid forests from southern Mexico through Central America to Belize and Guatemala. Males have an elongated black crest and white tail-band. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges. Uncommon and inconspicuous.