Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Bee Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Mellisuga helenae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Bee Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Mellisuga helenae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 5.6 cm (2.2 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 2.1 g (0.07 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | World's smallest bird; feeds on nectar from tiny Cuban flowers and catches minuscule spiders and … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Bee Hummingbird only
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Bee Hummingbird
Pure, bell-like descending phrase; clear resonant tones stepping smoothly down in musical sequence at dusk.
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.
Bee Hummingbird
Endemic to Cuba. Found across the island in forests, gardens, and coastal vegetation from sea level to moderate elevations.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Bee Hummingbird
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
Bee Hummingbird
Canivet's Emerald: males with iridescent violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; forked tail; females green; 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.
Bee Hummingbird
The world's smallest bird (5-6 cm, 1.6-2 g). Endemic to Cuba. Males have an iridescent pink-red throat. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Weighs less than a US dime. Heart beats 1,200 times per minute. Lays the world's smallest bird eggs (6 mm).