Minute Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Phaethornis idaliae compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Minute Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis idaliae | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 6.9 cm (2.7 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 2.25 g (0.08 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore specializing in Heliconia and other curved tubular flowers. Supplements diet with small spiders and … | 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
Minute Hermit
Harsh, grating buzz with mechanical quality; abrupt dry trill issued suddenly then stopping, leaving brief startling silence.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Minute Hermit
Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil from Espírito Santo to Santa Catarina. Found at sea level to 900 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
Minute Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Minute Hermit
Buff-tailed Sicklebill: rich chestnut-brown underparts; dark olive-green upperparts; white postocular stripe; strongly decurved bill matching sickle shape
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Minute Hermit
A tiny hermit hummingbird (6-7 cm), one of the smallest in its genus. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Green plumage with rufous underparts and a short, curved bill. Nectarivore of low forest undergrowth. Classified as Near Threatened due to habitat loss.
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.