Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Frilled Coquette
Ensifera ensifera compared with Lophornis magnificus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Frilled Coquette |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Lophornis magnificus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 8.0 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 savanna and forest borders; visits Byrsonima and small composites. Catches minute insects near … |
| 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.
Frilled Coquette
Bright, musical rolling trill; quick cascading notes with bubbly quality delivered repeatedly from prominent flowering shrub.
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.
Frilled Coquette
Endemic to the cerrado and Atlantic Forest transition of eastern and central Brazil. Found at 200–900 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Frilled 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
Frilled Coquette
White-bellied Woodstar: males with brilliant white belly; glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; females green above 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.
Frilled Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Males have an elaborate rufous crest and extended green cheek plumes forming a frilled collar. Nectarivore of forest edges and clearings. An Atlantic Forest endemic of conservation concern.