Allen's Hummingbird vs White-tailed Hillstar
Selasphorus sasin compared with Urochroa leucura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Allen's Hummingbird | White-tailed Hillstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Selasphorus sasin | Urochroa leucura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) | 14.7 cm (5.8 in) |
| Weight | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) | 9.774999999999999 g (0.34 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … | Nectarivore of Peruvian montane shrubs; forages at Ericaceae and Puya flowers. Supplements with small insects. |
| Clutch Size | 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.
White-tailed Hillstar
Sharp, emphatic two-note call; high accented first note followed by softer brief second, repeated persistently.
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.
White-tailed Hillstar
Found on the eastern Andean slope of Peru and Bolivia in montane cloud forest. 1,000–2,600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Allen's Hummingbird
White-tailed Hillstar
How to Tell Them Apart
Allen's Hummingbird
Fiery-throated Hummingbird (alt): males with brilliant multicolored gorget; metallic green above; females duller; pale buff below
White-tailed Hillstar
Dusky Starfrontlet: males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic bronze-green; white flanks; females green above; spotted underparts
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.
White-tailed Hillstar
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in Andean cloud forests of Peru and Bolivia at 2,000-3,500 m. Green plumage with white outer tail feathers visible in flight. Nectarivore of montane forest. Recently split from Rufous-gaped Hillstar.