Coppery Thorntail vs Allen's Hummingbird
Discosura letitiae compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Coppery Thorntail | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Discosura letitiae | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Data Deficient | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 7.5 cm (3.0 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 2.8 g (0.10 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore with elongated tail foraging at high canopy blooms. Catches small insects near flowering trees. | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Coppery Thorntail
Soft, high peep followed by short buzzy trill; quiet introductory note launching into brief rough continuation.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Coppery Thorntail
Known only from Bolivia; restricted range in humid lowland forest of the Beni region. 150–500 m elevation.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Coppery Thorntail
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Coppery Thorntail
Rufous Puffleg: males shining bronze-green; iridescent teal gorget; white underparts; large rufous leg puffs; females duller with spots
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Coppery Thorntail
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) known from very few specimens collected in Bolivia. Coppery plumage. Almost nothing known about its ecology or current status. One of the most mysterious hummingbirds; possibly rare, possibly overlooked. Further fieldwork needed.
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.