The majestic Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) hails from the Andes in South America. This species takes a hummingbird’s long bill to another level. At around four inches, or ten centimeters, its bill is almost the same length as its head, body, and tail combined! That’s the largest bill in proportion to its body of any bird.

The Sword-billed Hummingbird is just one example of the extreme diversity that can be found among the world’s 360+ species of hummingbirds. Find more incredible hummingbirds in The Wonderful World of Hummingbirds online course. Take a worldwide look at the expectation-defying lifestyles of these tiny birds, discover hummingbirds’ incredible adaptations, and explore extreme examples with Bird Academy.