Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Tawny-bellied Hermit
Ensifera ensifera compared with Phaethornis syrmatophorus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Tawny-bellied Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Phaethornis syrmatophorus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 7.35 g (0.26 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore with elongated bill suited to pendant tubular flowers. Gleans small spiders and mites from … |
| 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.
Tawny-bellied Hermit
High, crystalline twittering with silvery quality; rapid light notes cascading brightly in animated aerial display sequences.
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.
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Found on the eastern Andean slope in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in foothill and lower montane forest. 700–1,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Tawny-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
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit: iridescent violet-blue throat in males; metallic bronze-green above; white postocular stripe; white-spotted throat
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.
Tawny-bellied Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 1,200-2,500 m elevation. Green plumage with tawny-buff belly and long, curved bill. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth, visiting Heliconia and other tubular flowers.