Sombre Hummingbird vs Swallow-tailed Hummingbird

Sombre Hummingbird

Eupetomena cirrochloris

Tiny8 gForest

The sombre hummingbird is about 12 cm (4.7 in) long and weighs about 7.1 to 9 g (0.25 to 0.32 oz). The sexes are essentially the same though the female is slightly smaller than the male. They have a slightly decurved black bill. Their upperparts are bronzy green to blackish bronzy green with a coppery sheen to the uppertail coverts. Their underparts are dull gray with a few dull green spots on the throat. Their tail is square; its central feathers are shiny green and the rest black with a bronzy gloss. Voice: The somber hummingbird's song is "a high-pitched 'tchui-ui', often repeated and sometimes doubled". It is typically sung at dawn and often during agonistic encounters. It gives at least six distinct calls described as "chirp", "guttural", "vibrato", "whistle", "crack", and "high-pitch".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: filipeprates · CC BY 4.0

Swallow-tailed Hummingbird

Eupetomena macroura

Tiny9 gShrubland

With a total length of 15–17 cm (6–6+1⁄2 in), nearly half of which is made up by the tail, and weighing up to 9 g (0.32 oz), this is a relatively large hummingbird. Indeed, in much of its range it is the largest species of typical hummingbird. Its wings are also nearly 8 cm long – quite much for its size by hummingbird standards – though its bill is only of mediocre length, with c. 21 mm (0.83 in) not longer in absolute terms than that of many smaller relatives. Its plumage is brilliant iridescent green, with a blue head, upper chest, tail and vent.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Arlucio C. Ribeiro Filho · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Sombre Hummingbird and Swallow-tailed Hummingbird.