Allen's Hummingbird vs Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Selasphorus sasin compared with Urosticte benjamini
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Allen's Hummingbird | Purple-bibbed Whitetip |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Selasphorus sasin | Urosticte benjamini |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) | 10.1 cm (4.0 in) |
| Weight | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) | 4.0 g (0.14 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian and Colombian cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and epiphyte flowers. Gleans small arthropods. |
| 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.
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Rough, buzzy chatter with energetic rhythm; coarse notes delivered rapidly with distinctive raw texture near territory.
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.
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Found on the western and central Andes of Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest. 800–2,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Allen's Hummingbird
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
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
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
Buff-winged Starfrontlet (alt): tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green; buff wing stripe; females green above; spots
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.
Purple-bibbed Whitetip
A small hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Ecuador at 1,000-2,400 m. Green plumage with purple bib and white tail tips. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth and edges. Named whitetip for the white-tipped tail feathers.