Fawn-breasted Brilliant vs Allen's Hummingbird
Heliodoxa rubinoides compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fawn-breasted Brilliant | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Heliodoxa rubinoides | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 7.368 g (0.26 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Colombian and Ecuadorian cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Fuchsia blooms. Gleans small … | 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
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Rapid, bright twittering cascade; light airy notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above tropical blossoms.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Found in foothill and lower montane cloud forest from Colombia south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. 600–2,000 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
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
Plain-capped Starthroat (alt): males with ruby gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; 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
Fawn-breasted Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 1,200-2,500 m. Green plumage with a distinctive fawn-buff breast. Nectarivore of montane forest and forest edges. A common cloud forest species across its 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.