Allen's Hummingbird vs Black-billed Streamertail
Selasphorus sasin compared with Trochilus scitulus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Allen's Hummingbird | Black-billed Streamertail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Selasphorus sasin | Trochilus scitulus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 8.1 cm (3.2 in) | 13.0 cm (5.1 in) |
| Weight | 3.1500000000000004 g (0.11 oz) | 4.7 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on nectar from coastal sage scrub and forest flowers in California. Supplements diet with … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| 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.
Black-billed Streamertail
Buzzy, insect-like sustained trill; continuous high-frequency vibration with rapid modulation near nectar flowers.
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.
Black-billed Streamertail
Endemic to the eastern Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Restricted to montane forest. Sometimes treated as subspecies.
Conservation Status
Allen's Hummingbird
Black-billed Streamertail
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
Black-billed Streamertail
Black-faced Coucal: glossy black head; rufous-brown wings; black underparts; red eye; long dark tail; sexually similar plumage
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.
Black-billed Streamertail
A hummingbird (9-10 cm body + long tail streamers in males) endemic to the eastern Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Males similar to Red-billed Streamertail but with a black bill. Nectarivore of montane forest. Sometimes considered a subspecies of Red-billed Streamertail.