White-bearded Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Phaethornis hispidus compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-bearded Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis hispidus | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 10.8 cm (4.3 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 4.975 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting Heliconia, Costus, and banana flowers along forest understory routes. Takes small insects opportunistically. | 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
White-bearded Hermit
Sharp, staccato chips in rapid series; clean, emphatic notes delivered rhythmically without inflection or melodic variation.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-bearded Hermit
Widespread in western Amazonia from Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia. Found at 100–1,000 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
White-bearded Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
About These Birds
White-bearded Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in lowland forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia. Green plumage with a distinctive white beard-like throat stripe and long, white-tipped tail. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting Heliconia flowers.
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.