Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Sabrewing
Campylopterus ensipennis
White-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus ensipennis) — Hummingbirds of South America.
The White-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus ensipennis) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 9.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Campylopterus
- Species ensipennis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.6 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed Sabrewing 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 White-tailed Sabrewing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus ensipennis) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Venezuela and Tobago.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.6 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2,404 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Sabrewing?
The White-tailed Sabrewing is a very small bird that weighs around 9.6 g.
Where does the White-tailed Sabrewing live?
The White-tailed Sabrewing is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Venezuela and Tobago, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-tailed Sabrewing belong to?
The White-tailed Sabrewing (Campylopterus ensipennis) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-tailed Sabrewing eat?
The White-tailed Sabrewing is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the White-tailed Sabrewing migrate?
The White-tailed Sabrewing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed Sabrewing endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the White-tailed Sabrewing make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Sabrewing — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tailed Sabrewing's range?
The White-tailed Sabrewing has a mapped global range of about 2,404 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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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.