Tawny-bellied Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Phaethornis syrmatophorus compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Tawny-bellied Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phaethornis syrmatophorus | 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 | 7.35 g (0.26 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore with elongated bill suited to pendant tubular flowers. Gleans small spiders and mites from … | 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
Tawny-bellied Hermit
High, crystalline twittering with silvery quality; rapid light notes cascading brightly in animated aerial display sequences.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Found on the eastern Andean slope in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in foothill and lower montane forest. 700–1,800 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
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Tawny-bellied Hermit
Stripe-throated Hermit: iridescent violet-blue throat in males; metallic bronze-green above; white postocular stripe; white-spotted throat
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Tawny-bellied Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 1,200-2,500 m elevation. Green plumage with tawny-buff belly and long, curved bill. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth, visiting Heliconia and other tubular 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.