Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Purple-backed Thornbill
Ensifera ensifera compared with Ramphomicron microrhynchum
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Purple-backed Thornbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Ramphomicron microrhynchum |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 10.2 cm (4.0 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 … | Nectarivore foraging at mossy treeline vegetation and compact Ericaceae blooms. Supplements with small insects. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
None
Purple-backed Thornbill only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Purple-backed Thornbill
Bright, cheerful twittering with bubbling quality; light rapid notes cascading freely in animated display near flowers.
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.
Purple-backed Thornbill
Widespread in high Andean habitats from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 2,000–4,400 m.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Purple-backed Thornbill
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
Purple-backed Thornbill
Steely-vented Hummingbird: males with iridescent ruby-red gorget; metallic green above; white postocular stripe; blue-steel tail
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.
Purple-backed Thornbill
A tiny hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia at 2,000-3,800 m. Males have iridescent purple back. Tiny, short bill. Nectarivore of high-elevation flowering shrubs. One of the smallest hummingbirds in the Andes.