Male - Albany Hill, Albany, CA, US - March 10, 2010
Credit: Len Blumin

North American field guide

Allen's Hummingbird

Selasphorus sasin

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Identification

Field notes

10 cm (4") Breeds in coastal California. Common in western bush, gardens, parks, and woodlands.

Male: back is green, otherwise very similar to Rufous hummer. Even their wings whistle like Rufous'.

Female: not safely told in the field from female Rufous hummer.

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Videos

3 videos

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Allen's Hummingbird (Female)

1 rule
Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Green · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?
About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:458-rufous-and-allen-s-hummingbird-female:1:2 Source: 458 Rufous and Allen's Hummingbird (Female), row 1

Allen's Hummingbird (Male)

1 rule
Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Green · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour were the CHEEKS ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow
Compared with other hummingbirds, how large did it look?
About average for a hummingbird · Unknown
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Hummingbird
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:459-allen-s-hummingbird-male:1:1 Source: 459 Allen's Hummingbird (Male), row 1