Saberbill

The saberbill (Deirostrumos sapioides) is a species of sparrow-sized new world Emberizid finch native throughout the swamps, marshlands, subtropical rainforests, forests, and open woodlands of North America, but is also adapting to life in the cities and suburbs. The saberbill is named for the tip of its beak, which acts as a saber when males during breeding seasons fight each other to win a right to mate with females. The saberbill is an omnivore and mainly feeds on berries, seeds, small nuts, pine leaves insects, spiders, and worms. The conservation status of the saberbills is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the saberbills' tolerance to human activities, and, strangely for a bird of this size, their resistance to otherwise deadly disease and viruses, including West Nile viruses.