Purple-backed Thornbill vs Allen's Hummingbird
Ramphomicron microrhynchum compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-backed Thornbill | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ramphomicron microrhynchum | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 10.2 cm (4.0 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 3.3 g (0.12 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore foraging at mossy treeline vegetation and compact Ericaceae blooms. Supplements with small 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
Purple-backed Thornbill
Bright, cheerful twittering with bubbling quality; light rapid notes cascading freely in animated display near flowers.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Purple-backed Thornbill
Widespread in high Andean habitats from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 2,000–4,400 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
Purple-backed Thornbill
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-backed Thornbill
Steely-vented Hummingbird: males with iridescent ruby-red gorget; metallic green above; white postocular stripe; blue-steel tail
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Purple-backed Thornbill
A tiny hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia at 2,000-3,800 m. Males have iridescent purple back. Tiny, short bill. Nectarivore of high-elevation flowering shrubs. One of the smallest hummingbirds in the Andes.
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.