Ensifera ensifera
The Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) is an avian marvel, instantly recognizable by its astonishingly elongated bill, which can measure up to 10 cm (4 inches) and sometimes exceeds the length of its entire body, making it the bird with the longest bill relative to its body size in the world. Its body is typically 14-17 cm (5.5-6.7 inches) long, excluding the bill, with an average weight of 10-15 grams. Plumage is predominantly iridescent bronze-green, with males often displaying a ...
Found in high-altitude cloud forests, montane evergreen forests, and forest edges in the Andes, typically at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 meters (6,500–11,500 feet) but occasionally observed lower or higher.
Primarily nectivorous, feeding on nectar from long-tubed flowers, especially those of the genera Passiflora and Datura; supplements diet with small insects caught mid-air or gleaned from foliage.
Sword-billed Hummingbirds are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging. They employ a specialized hovering technique, often extending their long bill deep into tubular flowers while hovering directly beneath them, sometimes even flying backwards to extract nectar. They are highly territoria...
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a resident species distributed throughout the Andes mountain range in South America. Its range extends from western Venezuela through the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, south into central Bolivia. While not migratory in the traditional sense, individuals may...
Least Concern
- The Sword-billed Hummingbird has the longest bill relative to its body size of any bird in the world, often exceeding its own body length. - Due to its incredibly long bill, it must tilt its head almost vertically upwards to drink nectar, effectively looking towards the sky. - Unlike most birds...