Violet-headed Hummingbird vs Allen's Hummingbird
Klais guimeti compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Violet-headed Hummingbird | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Klais guimeti | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 9.7 cm (3.8 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 2.775 g (0.10 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from lowland and foothill flowers in humid Central and South America. Supplements … | 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
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Harsh, emphatic screech with forceful projection; loud rough call carrying across open terrain assertively.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Found in humid forests from Honduras to Bolivia at 400-1,500 m elevation. Resident in lowland and foothill forests.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Violet-headed Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
About These Birds
Violet-headed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (8 cm) found in humid forests from Honduras to Bolivia at 400-1,500 m. Males have an iridescent violet-blue head. Green body. Nectarivore of forest edges and gaps. Named after the French ornithologist Jules Bourcier, who described it as Guimet's specimen.
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.