Black Metaltail vs Allen's Hummingbird
Metallura phoebe compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Metaltail | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Metallura phoebe | 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 | 5.7325 g (0.20 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of high Peruvian puna scrub; visits small compact flowers of cushion plants. Gleans tiny … | 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
Black Metaltail
Harsh, buzzy rattle with percussive onset; abrupt rough trill erupting suddenly then ceasing in sharp silence.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Metaltail
Found in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia in puna and upper montane scrub at 3,400–5,000 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
Black Metaltail
Allen's Hummingbird
About These Birds
Black Metaltail
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to the western Andes of Peru at 3,000-4,500 m. Males all black with iridescent purple-blue throat. Nectarivore of puna scrub, Polylepis woodland, and inter-Andean valleys. A Peruvian endemic. Conspicuous at flowering shrubs.
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.