Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Schistes albogularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Schistes albogularis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 3.925 g (0.14 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore visiting Centropogon and other understory flowers in Andean foothills. Gleans small insects from flowers … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Western Wedge-billed 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.
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Bright, musical series of ascending notes; cheerful rising phrase with clear quality delivered repeatedly at dawn.
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.
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Found on the western Andean slope in Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest at 900–2,100 m elevation. Resident.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Western Wedge-billed 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
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
White-crested Coquette: males with white crest; iridescent green gorget; females with reduced white crest; green above; buff below
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.
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador at 1,000-2,500 m. Green plumage with a distinctive wedge-shaped bill and white throat. Nectarivore of forest canopy and edges. Recently split from Eastern Wedge-billed Hummingbird.