Allen's Hummingbird vs Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Selasphorus sasin compared with Thalurania furcata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Allen's Hummingbird | Fork-tailed Woodnymph |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Selasphorus sasin | Thalurania furcata |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) | 10.9 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) | 4.4 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … | Widespread Amazonian nectarivore visiting diverse forest-floor flowers. Supplements with insects and spiders caught in flight. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Allen's Hummingbird
Deep, resonant churring trill; prolonged low buzzing sound carrying well across broad coastal mangroves.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Buzzy, insect-like trill with monotonous quality; sustained rapid vibration with minimal melodic content.
Geographic Range & Migration
Allen's Hummingbird
Breeds along the Pacific coast from Oregon to southern California. Partial migrant; some Channel Islands populations resident year-round.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
Widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Resident.
Conservation Status
Allen's Hummingbird
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
About These Birds
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.
Fork-tailed Woodnymph
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) widely distributed in humid forests from Venezuela through Amazonia to Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Males have violet-blue underparts and green crown. Deeply forked tail. Nectarivore of forest edges and gardens.