Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Wine-throated Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera compared with Selasphorus ellioti
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Wine-throated Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Selasphorus ellioti |
| 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) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Central American montane forest, visiting flowering epiphytes. Supplements with insects and spiders caught … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Sword-billed Hummingbird only
Wine-throated 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.
Wine-throated Hummingbird
Melodic, descending two-note call; pure warm tones stepping down smoothly, given repeatedly from 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.
Wine-throated Hummingbird
Endemic to the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras at 1,500-3,000 m. Resident in cloud forest and elfin woodland.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Wine-throated 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
Wine-throated Hummingbird
Indigo-capped Hummingbird: males with brilliant indigo cap; glittering green gorget; metallic green above; females green above; spots
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.
Wine-throated Hummingbird
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) endemic to the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras at 1,500-3,000 m. Males have a wine-red/magenta gorget. Nectarivore of cloud forest and elfin woodland edges. A Central American highland endemic.