Tourmaline Sunangel vs Allen's Hummingbird
Heliangelus exortis compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Tourmaline Sunangel | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliangelus exortis | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 5.3 g (0.19 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting narrow tubular blooms of cloud-forest shrubs. Supplements diet with small spiders caught near … | 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
Tourmaline Sunangel
Melodic, two-note ascending call; pure first tone rising to brighter second note, given repeatedly with clear projection.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Tourmaline Sunangel
Found in cloud forests of Colombia and western Venezuela at 1,800–3,200 m. Fairly common in its limited 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
Tourmaline Sunangel
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Tourmaline Sunangel
Coppery Metaltail: shining coppery-green above; white underparts with cinnamon flanks; glittering violet gorget; females spotted throat
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Tourmaline Sunangel
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 1,500-3,000 m. Males have a glittering multi-colored throat flashing green, orange, and purple like a tourmaline gemstone. Nectarivore of montane forest edges and Ericaceae-rich habitats.
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.