Sword-billed Hummingbird vs White-tailed Goldenthroat
Ensifera ensifera compared with Polytmus guainumbi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | White-tailed Goldenthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Polytmus guainumbi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.8 cm (4.6 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 4.7 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of grassland and savanna flowers, particularly Heliconia and grasses. Catches small insects near water … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
White-tailed Goldenthroat only
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
White-tailed Goldenthroat
Sharp, crackling chatter with percussive quality; rapid dry notes delivered emphatically near territorial boundary.
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.
White-tailed Goldenthroat
Widespread in open habitats, savannas, and forest edges across Trinidad and Venezuela south through Brazil to Bolivia and Argentina. 0–900 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
White-tailed Goldenthroat
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
White-tailed Goldenthroat
Blue-headed Sapphire: metallic blue head and throat; bronzy-green body; white underparts with buff flanks; females paler with 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.
White-tailed Goldenthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) with golden-green throat and breast, found in open savannas and cerrado from Venezuela to Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Long, slightly curved bill. Nectarivore of open country flowers. Named for its glittering golden throat plumage.