Sword-billed Hummingbird

Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)

Name Origin:
The genus Ensifera is derived from Latin ensis meaning “sword” and fero meaning “to bear,” referring to its extraordinary, sword-like bill. The species name ensifera reinforces this trait, making it one of the few birds whose name repeats the same descriptor twice.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) body, with a bill often longer than the body itself
⚖️ Weight: 10–15 g (0.35–0.53 oz)
🌎 Range: Andes from western Venezuela to Bolivia
🧭 Elevation: 1,700–3,500 m (5,600–11,500 ft)
🌸 Diet: Primarily nectar, especially from long-tubed flowers; also small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forests, cloud forests, forest edges
🧬 Clade: Heliantheini – “Brilliants”
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Six subspecies:

1. Ensifera ensifera caeruleogularis
   Distribution: Andes of Venezuela (Mérida and Trujillo)

2. Ensifera ensifera ssp. (intergrades and nominal)
   Distribution: Andes of Colombia and Ecuador

3. Ensifera ensifera bairdi
   Distribution: Eastern slope of the Andes in Peru (Huánuco to Cuzco)

4. Ensifera ensifera boliviana
   Distribution: Northern Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba)

5. Ensifera ensifera elegantissima
   Distribution: Western slope of the Andes in Peru

6. Ensifera ensifera ensifera
   Distribution: Central Colombia (Magdalena Valley), parts of Ecuador

Species Overview
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is one of the most visually unique birds in the world, instantly recognizable by its absurdly long, straight bill — the longest relative to body size of any bird. This adaptation allows it to feed from extremely long tubular flowers like Passiflora and Datura that are inaccessible to most other hummingbirds. It often perches with its bill angled upward to reduce neck strain. Plumage is metallic green overall, with bronzy upperparts and a slightly decurved tail. The wings are broad and powerful, aiding in hovering near steep ravines and canopy gaps.

Male Description:
Metallic green with bronzy tones, a slightly forked tail, and a bill that can exceed the length of the body. Throat may show a bluish or purplish sheen depending on subspecies.

Female Description:
Similar to the male but slightly duller overall and with less iridescence on the throat. The bill remains extremely long and straight.

Habitat & Behavior:
Frequents humid montane forest and forest edge, often seen visiting tall, long-flowered plants growing along cliffs or forest borders. It feeds while hovering and uses its lengthy bill to access deep nectar chambers. Will also hawk small insects mid-air. Typically solitary and less aggressive than smaller hummingbirds, possibly due to its feeding niche specialization.

Conservation Note:
Although listed as Least Concern, the Sword-billed Hummingbird relies on healthy highland forest ecosystems and is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation and deforestation. It plays a crucial ecological role as a pollinator of deep-flowered Andean plant species, some of which are fully dependent on it for reproduction. Continued conservation of montane forest corridors is vital for maintaining stable populations across its range.

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