Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Dusky Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Phaeoptila sordida
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Dusky Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Phaeoptila sordida |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | — |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 3.9199999999999995 g (0.14 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Feeds on nectar from dry-forest flowers and flowering cacti in Mexico. Supplements diet with insects … |
| 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.
Dusky Hummingbird
High, crystalline notes in animated phrase; clear bright tones cascading smoothly in lively vocal display.
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.
Dusky Hummingbird
Endemic to arid regions of central and southern Mexico. Resident in dry scrub and thorn forest from Puebla to Oaxaca.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Dusky 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
Dusky Hummingbird
Pirre Hummingbird: males with iridescent violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; 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.
Dusky Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to arid regions of central and southern Mexico. Dull olive-grey plumage, unusually drab for a hummingbird. Long, slightly decurved bill. Nectarivore of dry scrub and thorn forest. Adapted to xeric habitats.