Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Magenta-throated Woodstar
Ensifera ensifera compared with Philodice bryantae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Magenta-throated Woodstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Philodice bryantae |
| 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) | 3.4 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore hovering at tubular blossoms in highland forest clearings. Takes small flies and spiders to … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Magenta-throated Woodstar only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Magenta-throated Woodstar
Thin, sibilant twittering with silvery quality; high airy notes cascading softly near flowering shrubs.
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.
Magenta-throated Woodstar
Endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama at 1,000-2,200 m elevation. Resident in cloud forest edges and gardens.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Magenta-throated Woodstar
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
Magenta-throated Woodstar
Brown Violetear (alt): males with glittering violet gorget; metallic bronze-green above; brown flanks; violet ear tufts; females green
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.
Magenta-throated Woodstar
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama at 1,000-2,200 m. Males have a brilliant magenta-pink throat gorget. Nectarivore of cloud forest edges and gardens. A Central American highland endemic.