Buff-tailed Sicklebill vs Great Sapphirewing
Eutoxeres condamini compared with Pterophanes cyanopterus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buff-tailed Sicklebill | Great Sapphirewing |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eutoxeres condamini | Pterophanes cyanopterus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 13.7 cm (5.4 in) | 21.0 cm (8.3 in) |
| Weight | 9.98 g (0.35 oz) | 10.05 g (0.35 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar and arthropod feeder; hovers to extract nectar from pendant flowers and snatches small insects … | Nectarivore of high Andean cloud forest and treeline; one of the largest hummingbirds. Visits Ericaceae … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Buff-tailed Sicklebill
Sharp, scratchy chip note repeated rapidly; dry staccato delivery with rough texture, audible during competitive interactions.
Great Sapphirewing
Buzzy, insect-like trill with pulsing rhythm; high-frequency vibration with slight amplitude modulation near flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Buff-tailed Sicklebill
Found in the eastern Andes from Colombia and Ecuador south to Bolivia at 400–1,500 m. Resident in forest undergrowth at Heliconia flowers.
Great Sapphirewing
Found in high Andean cloud forests and páramo from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 2,400–3,800 m.
Conservation Status
Buff-tailed Sicklebill
Great Sapphirewing
How to Tell Them Apart
Buff-tailed Sicklebill
Green-bronze upperparts; buff and dark brown heavily streaked underparts; buff-tipped tail feathers; strongly sickle-shaped curved bill; sexes similar; buff tail tips distinguish from White-tipped Sicklebill; Andean foothills specialist.
Great Sapphirewing
About These Birds
Buff-tailed Sicklebill
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-14 cm) with a strongly decurved bill for feeding on curved tropical flowers. Green plumage with a buff-tipped tail. Found in Andean foothill forests from Colombia to Bolivia. A specialized nectarivore of Heliconia and related plants.
Great Sapphirewing
A large hummingbird (18 cm, wingspan 28 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,500-3,500 m. Brilliant sapphire-blue wings, green body, and long tail. One of the largest hummingbirds. Nectarivore of montane forest, visiting large-flowered Ericaceae.