Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera Scientific name definitions

The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a charismatic species from Andean South America.  It is found from Venezuela and Colombia in the north to Bolivia in the south.  The species belongs to a monotypic genus, Ensifera, and is quite different from all other hummingbirds; metallic green and bronzed overall, with a black bill that is slightly upcurved and longer than the body length.  This is the only bird species with a bill length that exceeds the body length.  When seen perched, the species usually holds its bill quite upright, presumably because of balance issues stemming from this long and relatively heavy structure.

17–22·8 cm (including bill of 9–11 cm); 10–15 g (1 King, J. R. (1991). Body weights of some Ecuadorean birds. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 111(1):46–49. Close , 2 Echeverry-Galvis, M. Á., S. Córdoba-Córdoba, C. A. Peraza, M. P. Baptiste, and O. A. Ahumada (2006). Body weights of 98 species of Andean cloud-forest birds. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 126(4):291–298. Close ). Male has shorter bill but longer wings, and longer and more deeply forked tail than female (3 Sánchez Osés, C. (2003). Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography of the Andean hummingbird genera Coeligena LESSON, 1832; Pterophanes GOULD, 1849; Ensifera LESSON 1843; and Patagona GRAY, 1845 (Aves: Trochiliformes). Ph.D. thesis, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany. Close ). Longest bill of any hummingbird; straight to slightly upturned , black  ; long, pointed wings (3 Sánchez Osés, C. (2003). Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography of the Andean hummingbird genera Coeligena LESSON, 1832; Pterophanes GOULD, 1849; Ensifera LESSON 1843; and Patagona GRAY, 1845 (Aves: Trochiliformes). Ph.D. thesis, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany. Close ). Male is dark green, head coppery, postocular spot white  ; throat blackish, underparts glittering emerald -green, belly dark grey; tail forked, blackish. Some males (throughout range) have some white on chin and throat, and more striking bronze tones to the head (3 Sánchez Osés, C. (2003). Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography of the Andean hummingbird genera Coeligena LESSON, 1832; Pterophanes GOULD, 1849; Ensifera LESSON 1843; and Patagona GRAY, 1845 (Aves: Trochiliformes). Ph.D. thesis, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany. Close ). Female similar to male, has underparts lighter with throat  and belly washed grey with green discs; tail less forked. Juvenile resembles female.

Andes from W Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru to NC Bolivia (W Santa Cruz).

Humid to semi-humid upper montane forest and forest edges, sometimes at patches of shrubs in páramo, also shrubby areas, gardens, elfin woodland and hedgerows (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), at 1700–3500 m, commonest at 2500–3000 m.

Sedentary. In Colombia, seasonally above 3000 m (Jul–Sept, C Cordillera, Colombia) and same pattern observed in NW Venezuela, where ascends to similar altitudes in early wet season (May–Aug) but descends in driest months of Jan–Mar (5 Hilty, S. L. (1999). Three bird species new to Venezuela and notes on the behaviour and distribution of other poorly known species. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 119(4):220–235. Close ).

Flowers visited for nectar typically (but not exclusively) (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) have long pendent corollas  , and include Aethanthus, Brugmansia (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), Fuchsia, Salpichroa, Solanum, Datura sanguinea, D. tatula, Passiflora mixta, Tacsonia pinnatistiplua, T. mollissima and T. floribunda; usually probed from below (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Hawks for insects in “swift-like” manner with wide open bill. Trap-lines for flowers in mid to upper strata; sometimes perches below flowers while feeding, but rarely remains in open (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

A low  , slightly trilled “trrr” is occasionally heard (4 Hilty, S. L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

No reliable information. One unconfirmed observation of a female defending a possible nesting site high up in a tree in Apr (Ecuador); another doubtful description records several moss nests 15 m above ground in a tree.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Common locally. In Oyacachi (Bolivia) this hummingbird has been selected as a target species for ecotourism to attract birdwatchers, and these measures should help to protect its natural habitat from deforestation. In some places, it is known to take to man-made habitats like flowering gardens when suitable flowers are present, for example near Los Frailes Hotel in Venezuela, known to be an excellent spot to observe the bird. Around beginning of present century it was a common bird in suburbs of Quito. Occurs in several protected areas such as Guaramacal National Park (Venezuela) (5 Hilty, S. L. (1999). Three bird species new to Venezuela and notes on the behaviour and distribution of other poorly known species. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 119(4):220–235. Close ), Munchique National Park (Colombia), and Pasochoa Forest Reserve, Las Cajas National Recreation Area and Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador).