Allen's hummingbird
Selasphorus sasin
Identification Tips:
- Length: 3 inches
- Long, straight, thin bill
- Small hummingbird
Adult male:
- Rufous face, flanks, rump, and tail
- Green back and crown
- Orange-red gorget
- White breast
Female/Immature:
- Green back and crown
- White underparts
- White throat variably marked with dark streaks (immatures)
or central group of red spots (adult females)
- Rufous wash on flanks
- Immature males similar to adult female but central tail feathers
like adult male (rufous with dark tips)
- Dark tail with rufous at the bases of the retrices, and white
tips on the outer three retrices
Similar species:
Some adult male of Rufous Hummingbirds
have variable amounts of green in the back and crown. Females
and immatures are easily identified as a Selasphorus by the rufous
in the tail. Female and immature Broad-tailed Hummingbirds have
less rufous on the inner tail feathers, whitish, not rusty undertail
coverts and more blue-green backs, as well as being larger with
different calls. Female and immature Calliope Hummingbirds
are smaller with shorter bills and less rusty backs. Rufous and
Allen's females and immatures are inseparable in the field.
Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.