Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Calliope Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Selasphorus calliope
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Calliope Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Selasphorus calliope |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 8.3 cm (3.3 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 2.7633333333333336 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Smallest breeding bird in North America; feeds on mountain meadow nectar and supplements with small … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Calliope 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.
Calliope Hummingbird
Rough, coarse chatter with energetic delivery; rapid series of harsh notes tumbling quickly in vigorous exchange.
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.
Calliope Hummingbird
Breeds in mountain meadows of western North America from British Columbia to Utah. Long-distance migrant wintering in Mexico.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Calliope 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
Calliope Hummingbird
Violet-crowned Woodnymph: males with iridescent violet crown and gorget; metallic green above; females green above; spotted 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.
Calliope Hummingbird
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm), the smallest breeding bird in the United States. Males have an iridescent magenta-pink gorget. Breeds in mountain meadows of the western US and Canada. Long-distance migrant to Mexico. Named for its resemblance to the beautiful Calliope of Greek mythology.