Blue-capped Puffleg vs Allen's Hummingbird
Eriocnemis glaucopoides compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue-capped Puffleg | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocnemis glaucopoides | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 10.1 cm (4.0 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 3.75 g (0.13 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian Andes; fluffy leg tufts show during hover at Ericaceae blooms. Gleans small … | 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
Blue-capped Puffleg
Buzzy, high-pitched trill barely audible; rapid soft vibration with insect-like quality during hovering near blossoms.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Blue-capped Puffleg
Endemic to Argentina and adjacent Bolivia in high Andean scrub and puna at 2,600–4,200 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
Blue-capped Puffleg
Allen's Hummingbird
About These Birds
Blue-capped Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Bolivia to northwestern Argentina at 2,000-3,500 m. Green plumage with blue crown and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and cloud forest edges. The southernmost puffleg species.
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.