Photo: Joseph C Boone / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sword-billed Hummingbird
Ensifera ensifera
Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Ensifera
- Species ensifera
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Venezuela to ne Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 398,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sword-billed Hummingbird?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a very small bird that weighs around 11.2 g.
Where does the Sword-billed Hummingbird live?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is found across South America with a range covering SA w Venezuela to ne Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sword-billed Hummingbird belong to?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Sword-billed Hummingbird eat?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Sword-billed Hummingbird migrate?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sword-billed Hummingbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Sword-billed Hummingbird make?
1 real field recording of the Sword-billed Hummingbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sword-billed Hummingbird's range?
The Sword-billed Hummingbird has a mapped global range of about 398,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.