Merida Sunangel vs Allen's Hummingbird
Heliangelus spencei compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Merida Sunangel | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliangelus spencei | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 5.0 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore defending territories around productive Ericaceae patches. Supplements with tiny insects and spiders from foliage. | 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
Merida Sunangel
Rough, buzzy trill with scratchy edge; coarse sustained notes with raw texture carrying across dense tropical scrub.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Merida Sunangel
Endemic to the Mérida Andes of Venezuela in cloud forest and páramo edge. 2,200–3,400 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
Merida Sunangel
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Merida Sunangel
Viridian Metaltail: brilliant metallic green above; glittering violet-blue gorget; white postocular stripe; females green with 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
Merida Sunangel
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the Andes of western Venezuela (Mérida) at 2,400-3,500 m. Males have a glittering purple throat. Green plumage. Nectarivore of páramo and cloud forest edges. A range-restricted Venezuelan endemic.
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.