Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Blue-headed Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Riccordia bicolor
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Blue-headed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Riccordia bicolor |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | — |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 4.55 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Blue-headed Hummingbird only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.
Blue-headed Hummingbird
Melodic, rolling trill with bright bubbly quality; quick cheerful notes cascading pleasantly from prominent 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.
Blue-headed Hummingbird
Found on Dominica and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles. Resident in montane forest and gardens on both islands.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Blue-headed Hummingbird
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
Blue-headed Hummingbird
Cinnamon Hummingbird: males with glittering green gorget; metallic green above; cinnamon underparts; females similar; monomorphic
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.
Blue-headed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found on Dominica and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles. Bright green plumage with a blue head (males). Nectarivore of montane forest and gardens. One of only two hummingbird species on each island.