Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Viridian Metaltail
Ensifera ensifera compared with Metallura williami
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Viridian Metaltail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Metallura williami |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 4.6 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian and Colombian montane shrubs; visits Brachyotum and Ericaceae. Gleans tiny insects from … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
None
Viridian Metaltail only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Viridian Metaltail
Sharp, emphatic chip repeated rapidly; clean staccato note with forceful attack given insistently near territory.
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.
Viridian Metaltail
Found in cloud forests and páramo of Colombia and Ecuador on both Andean slopes. 2,400–4,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Viridian 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
Viridian Metaltail
Blue-throated Mountain-gem: tiny; males with brilliant blue gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; 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.
Viridian Metaltail
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Ecuador at 2,000-3,500 m. Males have a glittering green tail. Nectarivore of montane forest edges and flowering shrubs. Named after the British naturalist M.C. William.