Long-billed Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Phaethornis longirostris compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Long-billed Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis longirostris | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 5.8 g (0.20 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
Long-billed Hermit
Pure, flute-like descending scale; smooth melodic phrase moving cleanly through successive notes, warm and round in timbre.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Long-billed Hermit
Widespread from southern Mexico through Central America to northwestern Colombia and western Ecuador. Found at 0–1,200 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
Long-billed Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Long-billed Hermit
Wire-crested Thorntail: males with long black wire-like crest; green gorget; white pectoral tufts; females with rufous-buff below; plain green
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Long-billed Hermit
A large hermit hummingbird (15-17 cm) found in humid forests from Mexico to northwestern Colombia. Green plumage with dark face mask, long curved bill, and long, white-tipped tail. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, an important pollinator of 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.