Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird vs Allen's Hummingbird
Schistes albogularis compared with Selasphorus sasin
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird | Allen's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Schistes albogularis | Selasphorus sasin |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 11.0 cm (4.3 in) | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) |
| Weight | 3.925 g (0.14 oz) | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore visiting Centropogon and other understory flowers in Andean foothills. Gleans small insects from flowers … | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Bright, musical series of ascending notes; cheerful rising phrase with clear quality delivered repeatedly at dawn.
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Geographic Range & Migration
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Found on the western Andean slope in Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest at 900–2,100 m elevation. Resident.
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Conservation Status
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
White-crested Coquette: males with white crest; iridescent green gorget; females with reduced white crest; green above; buff below
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
About These Birds
Western Wedge-billed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador at 1,000-2,500 m. Green plumage with a distinctive wedge-shaped bill and white throat. Nectarivore of forest canopy and edges. Recently split from Eastern Wedge-billed Hummingbird.
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.