Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin), male
Allen's Hummingbird, Male

Allen's Hummingbird

Selasphorus sasin

The Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) is a diminutive avian jewel, with mature adults measuring a mere 3 to 3.5 inches in length and tipping the scales at approximately 2 to 4 grams. The male is resplendent with a green back and forehead, complemented by rust-colored flanks, rump, and tail. His throat shimmers with an iridescent orange-red hue. The female and immature Allen's hummingbirds share a similar color palette but are distinguished by the absence of the iridescent throat patch, displaying instead a series of speckles. Females are predominantly green with rufous only on the tail, which is also tipped with white. The immature birds are nearly indistinguishable from the female rufous hummingbird in the field.

Identification Tips

To distinguish the adult male Allen's hummingbird from its close relative, the rufous hummingbird, one must look for the absence of a notch in the second rectrix (R2), particularly in the green-backed variety. The timing of breeding seasons and geographical ranges are also key factors in differentiating between the two species.

Habitat

Allen's hummingbirds are commonly found in the brushy woods, gardens, and meadows of coastal California and southern coastal Oregon.

Distribution

The migratory subspecies, S. s. sasin, breeds in southern Oregon and California, wintering in south-central Mexico. The S. s. sedentarius subspecies is a permanent resident on the Channel Islands off southern California and has expanded its range to parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties.

Behaviour

The male Allen's hummingbird performs a courtship display that is a frenetic back-and-forth arc, akin to a pendulum, followed by a high-speed dive from great heights, with tail feathers creating a distinctive flutter. These birds are fiercely territorial; males will chase away competitors and even larger predatory birds. After mating, the male does not assist in rearing the young.

Song & Calls

Both male and female Allen's hummingbirds communicate with high-pitched vocalizations in social interactions, whether familial or territorial.

Breeding

Females prefer to nest in forests with large trees, using plant fibers, down, and weed stems to construct their nests, which are camouflaged with lichens and spider webs. The nest-building process takes about a week. Females lay one or two white eggs and incubate them for 15 to 17 days. The fledglings leave the nest after about three weeks but are fed by the mother for several more weeks before becoming independent.

Diet and Feeding

With a high metabolic rate, Allen's hummingbirds feed frequently on nectar and small insects such as flies, ants, beetles, spiders, and wasps. They play a crucial role in pollination, supporting the survival of various plant species, including the endangered Western Lily.

Conservation status

Despite being classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Allen's hummingbird has experienced a significant population decline, losing about 83% of its population in the last fifty years. However, they have shown adaptability by utilizing invasive plants and bird feeders in their changing habitats.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Allen's Hummingbird Fun Facts

Did you know?
Male Allen's Hummingbirds are incredibly territorial and have been known to attack predatory birds including kestrels and hawks.

Allen's Hummingbirds on Birda

Sightings

More Hummingbirds

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.