Grey-breasted Sabrewing vs Allen's Hummingbird
Campylopterus largipennis compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey-breasted Sabrewing | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Campylopterus largipennis | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.5 cm (5.7 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 7.980000000000001 g (0.28 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from Amazonian understory flowers, favouring Heliconia. Supplements diet with insects and spiders … | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
Soft, melodic warbling with gentle flowing quality; notes weaving smoothly in quiet musical phrase. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
Widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia and Brazil. Resident in lowland forests.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
Livingstone's Turaco: rich glossy green body; long green crest with white tips; white facial stripe; crimson flight feathers; red bill
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Grey-breasted Sabrewing
A large hummingbird (13-15 cm) widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia and Brazil. Grey breast, green plumage, and thickened outer wing feathers (the sabrewing trait). Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges.
Allen's Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) breeding along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Males have an orange-red throat and rufous flanks. Closely related to Rufous Hummingbird. Partial migrant; some populations resident on Channel Islands. Named after Thomas Allen.