Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Cuban Emerald
Ensifera ensifera compared with Riccordia ricordii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Cuban Emerald |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Riccordia ricordii |
| 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) | 3.75 g (0.13 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Cuban forest and gardens, visiting diverse native blooms. Takes small insects and spiders … |
| 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.
Cuban Emerald
Buzzy, insect-like trill sustained steadily; continuous rapid vibration with little melodic variation over time.
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.
Cuban Emerald
Found in Cuba, the Bahamas, and occasionally southern Florida. Resident in forests, gardens, and mangroves.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Cuban Emerald
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
Cuban Emerald
Escudo Hummingbird: males with glittering blue-green gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted
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.
Cuban Emerald
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Cuba and the Bahamas, with vagrants to Florida. Brilliant iridescent green plumage and white breast. Deeply forked tail. Nectarivore of forest, gardens, and mangroves. Cuba's most common hummingbird.