Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Ensifera ensifera compared with Phaethornis nattereri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Cinnamon-throated Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Phaethornis nattereri |
| 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) | 2.8 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore following trap-lining routes through Heliconia and Costus flowers. Catches small arthropods for protein. |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Cinnamon-throated Hermit only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Pure, sustained whistle with bell-like clarity; single note held steadily then gently fading, given from tall forest perch.
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.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Endemic to the cerrado and caatinga transition zones of central and northeastern Brazil. Found at 200–800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Cinnamon-throated 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
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
White-tipped Sicklebill: rufous underparts with white streaking; dark olive-brown above; white lateral crown stripe; pronounced decurved 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.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in dry scrubland and gallery forests of central Brazil and eastern Bolivia. Cinnamon-orange throat, green upperparts, and rufous underparts. Nectarivore adapted to cerrado and transition forest habitats.