Bird Guide

Grey-breasted Sabrewing vs Oasis Hummingbird

Grey-breasted Sabrewing (Campylopterus largipennis)

Grey-breasted Sabrewing

Campylopterus largipennis

Tiny8 gForest

The grey-breasted sabrewing is a large hummingbird, 12.4 to 14.9 cm (4.9 to 5.9 in) long. Males weigh 9 to 10 g (0.32 to 0.35 oz) and females about 7 to 8 g (0.25 to 0.28 oz). The sexes have almost identical plumage. Their bill is slightly decurved; the maxilla is black and the mandible pinkish with a black tip. The nominate subspecies' upperparts are dark shining green and the underparts dark gray. They have a white spot behind the eye. Their central pair of tail feathers is green and the rest bluish black on their inner half and white on the outer. Subspecies C. l. obscurus (with C. l. Voice: The grey-breasted sabrewing makes "repeated short chik or trzik" calls and "occasionally a faster stuttering series." What is thought to be its song is the "same call note delivered in a more regular continuous series."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by
Oasis Hummingbird (Rhodopis vesper)

Oasis Hummingbird

Rhodopis vesper

Tiny4 gShrubland

The oasis hummingbird is 11 to 13.5 cm (4.3 to 5.3 in) long and weighs about 4 g (0.14 oz). Both sexes have a long, black, decurved bill. The nominate subspecies is larger and has a longer and stouter bill than the other two, but the three are otherwise alike. Both sexes have olive green upperparts with a cinnamon rump and uppertail coverts. Females have a small white dot behind the eye and males a longer white stripe. Males have an iridescent gorget that ranges from rosy violet to purple with turquoise to the rear. Their underparts are dull white with a dull green wash on the flanks. Voice: The oasis hummingbird's vocalizations have not been extensively recorded. What appears to be its song is "tzee-tzee-dee-dee, first ascending, then descending". Calls include a "melodious series of tick and tzee notes given at variable speeds and tone", "a rapid, thin liquid chatter", and ""a rich chew note".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jan Ebr · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey-breasted Sabrewing and Oasis Hummingbird.