Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Pale-bellied Hermit
Ensifera ensifera compared with Phaethornis anthophilus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Pale-bellied Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Phaethornis anthophilus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 5.166666666666667 g (0.18 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore adapted to curved corolla flowers via trap-lining. Supplements nectar with small spiders caught near … |
| 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.
Pale-bellied Hermit
Soft, pure tones in slow deliberate sequence; each note clearly separated, musical and unhurried, issued at twilight.
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.
Pale-bellied Hermit
Found in northern Colombia and Venezuela in dry deciduous forest and scrub. Sea level to 1,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Pale-bellied Hermit
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
Pale-bellied Hermit
Baron's Hermit: sooty brown overall; buffy-white supercilium; pale-streaked throat; rufous belly patch; elongated decurved black bill
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.
Pale-bellied Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (12-14 cm) found in dry forests and scrublands of Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Pale belly, green upperparts, and a long curved bill. Nectarivore of dry forest undergrowth and edges. One of the few hermits adapted to arid habitats.