Saw-billed Hermit vs Allen's Hummingbird
Ramphodon naevius compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Saw-billed Hermit | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ramphodon naevius | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 7.15 g (0.25 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily nectarivore; bill curvature matches specific flowers; supplements diet by hawking tiny insects. | 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
Saw-billed Hermit
Bright, musical trill with cheerful bubbly quality; quick rolling notes cascading pleasantly from dense flowering vegetation.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Saw-billed Hermit
Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil from Bahia to Santa Catarina. Resident in humid forest up to 1,200 m. Near Threatened.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Saw-billed Hermit
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Saw-billed Hermit
Bronze-green upperparts; underparts rufous-buff with dark brown streaking; broad pale supercilium; rufous-buff tail tipped dark; serrated edge to bill visible at close range; Brazilian Atlantic forest endemic; boldly streaked underparts.
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Saw-billed Hermit
A large hummingbird (14-16 cm) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Distinguished by its serrated, saw-like bill unique among hummingbirds. Green plumage with a rufous throat. Nectarivore and insectivore. Classified as Near Threatened due to Atlantic Forest fragmentation.
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.