Allen's Hummingbird

Selasphorus sasinOrder: APODIFORMESFamily: Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

Allen's Hummingbird Female - Female has a grayer bill than male, green upperparts, and a white throat with bronze dotted pattern. Rufous-buff underparts with rufous wash on sides and base of tail feathers. Tail is rufous, black, and green with white-tipped outer tail feathers.

Allen's Hummingbird - Male has a straight black bill and a full copper-red gorget (throat). Underparts and crown are green with white below throat, rufous flanks, belly, sides, rump, and tail.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Allen's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird: Small, compact hummingbird; male has straight black bill, glittering green crown and back, white breast, and rufous sides, belly, rump, and tail. The throat (gorget) is iridescent copper-red. Feeeds on nectar, insects, spiders, and sap. Swift direct flight, hovers when feeding.

● Song: "zeeee chuppity-chup"

● Foraging & Feeding: Allen's Hummingbird: Long narrow bill and tongue allow it to obtain nectar from flowers. Also obtains protein from small insects. Consumes over twice its weight in nectar each day by feeding every 10 to 15 minutes and visiting as many as 1,000 flowers.

● Breeding & nesting: Allen's Hummingbird: Two white eggs are laid in a tiny, tightly woven cup built on a sheltered branch. Incubation ranges from 15 to 22 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Allen's Hummingbird: Male Rufous Hummingbird has less green on crown and back. Female Rufous Hummingbird is indistinguishable in appearance.

Flight Pattern

Hovers when feeding., Swift darting direct flight.

● Range & Habitat: Allen's Hummingbird: Breeds along the coast from southern Oregon to southern California. Resident in southern California; winters in Mexico. Preferred habitats include coastal chaparral, brushlands, and edges of redwood forests.

^BreedingSolitary nester, Semicolonial, Promiscuous

^PopulationCommon to fairly common

^MigrationNeotropical Migrant

^Weight0.1 Ounces

Field Guide to Birds of North America