Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Slender-tailed Woodstar
Ensifera ensifera compared with Microstilbon burmeisteri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Slender-tailed Woodstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Microstilbon burmeisteri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 6.0 cm (2.4 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 2.09 g (0.07 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of montane scrub, probing small tubular flowers. Catches spiders and minute flies to supply … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Slender-tailed Woodstar only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Soft, liquid descending cascade; gentle mellow notes flowing downward in quiet musical sequence at dawn.
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.
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Found in arid scrub and woodland of central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina at 1,000-3,000 m. Resident and partial migrant.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Slender-tailed Woodstar
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
Slender-tailed Woodstar
Lucifer Sheartail: males with iridescent purple forked gorget extending to sides; metallic green above; females green above; spotted
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.
Slender-tailed Woodstar
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in arid scrub and woodland of central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina at 1,000-3,000 m. Males have a slender, forked tail. Nectarivore of dry forest and garden flowers. Named after the German zoologist Hermann Burmeister.