Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Coppery Metaltail
Ensifera ensifera compared with Metallura theresiae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Coppery Metaltail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Metallura theresiae |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 4.925000000000001 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Peruvian cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and epiphytic orchids. Gleans tiny arthropods from … |
| 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.
Coppery Metaltail
Deep, resonant trill with buzzing quality; powerful low-frequency churring vibrating through dense tropical vegetation.
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.
Coppery Metaltail
Endemic to Peru in the Cordillera Negra region of the western Andes at 3,000–4,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Coppery Metaltail
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
Coppery Metaltail
Purple-throated Mountain-gem: tiny; males with brilliant blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; females green above; spotted below
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.
Coppery Metaltail
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) endemic to the Andes of central Peru at 2,500-3,800 m. Males have a coppery-bronze tail. Nectarivore of cloud forest and elfin forest edges. A Peruvian endemic. Named after the botanical collector Therese, Princess of Bavaria.