Butterfly Coquette vs Allen's Hummingbird
Lophornis verreauxii compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Butterfly Coquette | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lophornis verreauxii | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.6 cm (3.4 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of humid forest clearings; compact size allows access to small flowers. Gleans tiny arthropods … | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Butterfly Coquette
Buzzy, insect-like trill sustained briefly; continuous high-frequency vibration then sudden silence, disorienting in quality.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Butterfly Coquette
Found on western Andean slope and Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador. Sea level to 1,200 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
Butterfly Coquette
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Butterfly Coquette
Amethyst Woodstar: males with glittering teal-blue gorget and amethyst crown; metallic bronze-green above; females green with spots
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Butterfly Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in humid forests from Venezuela and Colombia to Peru and Bolivia. Males have wispy green cheek plumes and a white breast band. Nectarivore of forest edges and clearings. Named for the French ornithologists Jules and Edouard Verreaux.
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.