Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Grey-bellied Comet
Ensifera ensifera compared with Taphrolesbia griseiventris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Grey-bellied Comet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ensifera ensifera | Taphrolesbia griseiventris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) | 15.6 cm (6.1 in) |
| Weight | 12.75 g (0.45 oz) | 8.94 g (0.32 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … | Nectarivore of Peruvian dry inter-Andean valleys; visits sparse Chuquiraga blooms. Supplements with small insects. |
| 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.
Grey-bellied Comet
Crisp, musical chip with bright quality; single sharp note ringing cleanly, repeated at irregular but frequent intervals.
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.
Grey-bellied Comet
Endemic to the western Andean slope in Peru in arid scrub and intermontane valleys. 2,400–3,800 m. Highly restricted range.
Conservation Status
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Grey-bellied Comet
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
Grey-bellied Comet
White-bellied Woodstar: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white postocular stripe; 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.
Grey-bellied Comet
A medium-sized hummingbird (15-18 cm including long tail) endemic to a small range in the Andes of Peru at 3,000-3,500 m. Grey belly and long, forked tail. Nectarivore. Classified as Endangered due to an extremely restricted range. One of the rarest Andean hummingbirds.