Bronze-tailed Comet vs Allen's Hummingbird
Polyonymus caroli compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bronze-tailed Comet | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polyonymus caroli | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 12.9 cm (5.1 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 5.125 g (0.18 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of high puna and queñual woodland; forages at Chuquiraga and Polylepis flowers. Gleans small … | 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
Bronze-tailed Comet
Soft, thin twittering barely audible; delicate minute notes cascading gently almost lost in surrounding forest sounds.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bronze-tailed Comet
Endemic to Peru in the Río Marañón drainage and adjacent valleys in arid scrub and dry forest. 1,800–3,200 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
Bronze-tailed Comet
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Bronze-tailed Comet
Esmeraldas Woodstar: males with glittering purple gorget; metallic bronze-green above; white underparts; females green above with spots
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Bronze-tailed Comet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-15 cm) endemic to the Andes of Peru at 2,700-4,000 m. Green plumage with a bronze-colored, forked tail. Nectarivore of montane scrub and Polylepis forest. Uncommon and restricted to high-elevation habitats.
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.