Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Red-tailed Comet

Ensifera ensifera verglichen mit Sappho sparganurus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Sword-billed Hummingbird Red-tailed Comet
Wissenschaftlicher Name Ensifera ensifera Sappho sparganurus
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Trochilidae Trochilidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 15,3 cm (6.0 in) 12,6 cm (5.0 in)
Gewicht 12,75 g (0.45 oz) 5,4 g (0.19 oz)
Ernährung Nectarivore uniquely adapted to extremely long flowers of Passiflora and Datura. Supplements with small insects … Nectarivore of Andean high-altitude scrub; visits Chuquiraga and Ericaceae flowers. Catches small insects near blooms.
Gelegegröße -- 2
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

Sword-billed Hummingbird only

Red-tailed Comet only

-

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Gesang

Thin, reedy whistle with plaintive character; soft nasal tone held briefly then gently fading in mist.

Red-tailed Comet

Gesang

Pure, bell-like tones in descending sequence; clear musical notes stepping down smoothly with resonant ringing quality.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

Red-tailed Comet

Found in the Andes and Patagonian scrub of Argentina and Bolivia from 1,000–4,200 m. Partly migratory southward.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Least Concern

Red-tailed Comet

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Sword-billed Hummingbird

Gefieder

Olivaceous Thornbill: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic olive-bronze above; white underparts; females green above; spots

Red-tailed Comet

Gefieder

Purple-throated Woodstar: males with glittering rose-pink gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; tiny; females spotted below

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

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.

Red-tailed Comet

A stunning hummingbird (15-22 cm including tail) found in dry inter-Andean valleys from Bolivia to northwestern Argentina at 2,000-4,500 m. Males have a deeply forked, iridescent red-orange tail. Nectarivore of arid scrub and cactus flowers. An iconic Andean species.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family