Colorful Puffleg vs Allen's Hummingbird
Eriocnemis mirabilis compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Colorful Puffleg | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eriocnemis mirabilis | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 10.2 cm (4.0 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 5.06 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore restricted to Colombian Pacific slope cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and Fuchsia. Supplements with arthropods. | 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
Colorful Puffleg
Thin, wavering whistle with plaintive quality; soft slightly nasal tone trembling gently, poorly known vocally.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Colorful Puffleg
Endemic to a tiny area in the western Colombian Andes near the Río Mechengue at 1,400–2,000 m. Critically endangered.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Colorful Puffleg
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Colorful Puffleg
Heliodor's Woodstar: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted below
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Colorful Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the western Andes of Colombia at 1,800-2,200 m. Males have iridescent multicolored plumage and white leg puffs. Nectarivore of cloud forest. Classified as Critically Endangered with an extremely restricted range.
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.