Green-crowned Brilliant vs Allen's Hummingbird
Heliodoxa jacula compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green-crowned Brilliant | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa jacula | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.1 cm (5.6 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 7.633333333333333 g (0.27 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Central American and Colombian cloud forest; visits diverse montane flowers. Catches small insects … | 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
Green-crowned Brilliant
Harsh, crackling buzz with emphatic onset; abrupt rough trill issuing from scrub then stopping sharply.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Green-crowned Brilliant
Found in humid foothill and lower montane forest from Costa Rica south through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru. 400–1,600 m.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Green-crowned Brilliant
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Green-crowned Brilliant
Oasis Hummingbird: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic bronze-green above; white underparts; females green above; spots
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Green-crowned Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in humid forests from Guatemala to Ecuador at 400-2,000 m. Males have a brilliant green crown and throat. Nectarivore of forest canopy and edges. Named for its shining, jewel-like green crown.
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.