Sword-billed Hummingbird vs Red-tailed Comet
Ensifera ensifera comparé à Sappho sparganurus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Sword-billed Hummingbird | Red-tailed Comet |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Ensifera ensifera | Sappho sparganurus |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 15,3 cm (6.0 in) | 12,6 cm (5.0 in) |
| Poids | 12,75 g (0.45 oz) | 5,4 g (0.19 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | 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. |
| Taille de la couvée | -- | 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.
Red-tailed Comet
Pure, bell-like tones in descending sequence; clear musical notes stepping down smoothly with resonant ringing quality.
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.
Statut de conservation
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Red-tailed 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
Red-tailed Comet
Purple-throated Woodstar: males with glittering rose-pink gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; tiny; females 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.
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.