Hook-billed Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Glaucis dohrnii compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hook-billed Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Glaucis dohrnii | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 6.659999999999999 g (0.23 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore and occasional insectivore; visits heliconia, bromeliads, and Inga flowers while trap-lining territories. | 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
Hook-billed Hermit
Thin, penetrating whistle sustained briefly; followed by rapid buzzing trill, combination unique among syntopic hummingbirds.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hook-billed Hermit
Found along the Atlantic coast of eastern Brazil from Bahia to Espírito Santo. Resident in coastal rainforest. Endangered; highly restricted range.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Hook-billed Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Hook-billed Hermit
Bronze-green upperparts; cinnamon-rufous underparts with faint darker barring; pale buff supercilium stripe; rufous-buff tail with dark subterminal band; strongly curved bill; vulnerable Brazilian Atlantic forest endemic.
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Hook-billed Hermit
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Bronze-green plumage with a hooked bill tip. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting Heliconia and bromeliads. Classified as Endangered due to severe habitat loss in Brazil's coastal forests.
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.