Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Little Hermit
Ensifera ensifera compared with Phaethornis longuemareus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Little Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Phaethornis longuemareus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 8.6 cm (3.4 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 3.3 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Primarily nectar-feeding; uses exceptionally curved bill to access heliconia blossoms; supplements with small 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.
Little Hermit
Loud, ringing whistle with bold projection; clear single-pitch call carrying impressively across open montane grassland.
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.
Little Hermit
Found from Trinidad and northern Venezuela west through much of Amazonia to Bolivia. Resident in lowland forest undergrowth near streams.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Little 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
Little Hermit
Tiny; bronze-green upperparts with rufous-buff rump band; buff underparts; pale buff supercilium and malar stripe bordering dark face mask; white-tipped elongated central tail feathers; Trinidad and Venezuela species.
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.
Little Hermit
A tiny hermit hummingbird (8-9 cm), one of the smallest hummingbirds. Found in humid forests from Mexico to Brazil and Trinidad. Green upperparts with rufous-buff underparts and a curved bill. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting small flowers along forest streams and trails.