Allen's Hummingbird Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesAllen's Hummingbird
Adult male
Compact and stocky hummingbird. Adult males have a reddish-orange throat and an orange belly.
© Dean LaTray / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 25, 2017Female/immature male
Small and compact hummingbird. Females/immatures have a dull metallic green back and pale coppery flanks.
© Sharif Uddin / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 23, 2020Female/immature
Perched female/immature Allen's Hummingbirds can be difficult to separate from Rufous Hummingbirds.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 01, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult male
Note the very narrow tail feathers when the tail is spread. Adult males are coppery below and bronze-green above with a coppery tail.
© Giovanni Pari / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, March 20, 2017Female/immature
Though difficult to see look for narrow outer tail feathers on flying birds to separate them from Rufous Hummingbirds. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 01, 1997Not all videos have sound
Female/immature male
Females/immatures have a bronze-green back. Although subtle, note coppery eyebrow.
© Peter DeStefano / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, January 11, 2021Immature male
Females/immatures are bronze-green above with paler coppery sides. They both have bits of bronze spotting on their throats, though females have more spots and a small patch of reddish orange in the center of the throat.
© Donna Pomeroy / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 24, 2018Adult female
The female builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and takes care of the nestlings without help from the male.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
© Robert Hamilton / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 31, 2016
Female/immature male
Females/immatures are very difficult to separate from females/immatures Rufous Hummingbird. Separated by shape of spread tail; narrow outer tail feathers on Allen's, but wide on Rufous.
© Ellen Crotty / Macaulay LibraryAlabama, February 11, 2017Adult male
Breeds in coastal forest, scrub, and chaparral along a narrow strip that stretches up the coast from California to southern Oregon.
© Andrew Newmark / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 21, 2020Similar SpeciesRufous Hummingbird
Adult male
Male Rufous Hummingbirds usually have an orange back and rump, but beware that some have a green back, like Allen’s. If you can, get a good look at the spread tail; the outermost tail feather is broad in Rufous Hummingbirds but narrow on Allen's Hummingbirds.
© Matthew Pendleton / Macaulay LibraryUtah, July 12, 2016Similar SpeciesRufous Hummingbird
Female/immature
Female/immature Rufous Hummingbirds are nearly indistinguishable in the field and many are best left unidentified. If you can, get a good look at the spread tail; the outermost tail feather is broad in Rufous Hummingbirds but narrow on Allen's Hummingbirds.
© Ian Routley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 16, 2016Similar SpeciesBroad-tailed Hummingbird
Female/immature
Female Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are slightly larger than Allen's Hummingbirds with a longer and broader tail. They have less coppery coloring in the tail than female/immature Allen's Hummingbirds.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryUtah, October 11, 2009Similar SpeciesCalliope Hummingbird
Female/immature
Female Calliope Hummingbirds are smaller than Allen's Hummingbirds and their tail barely meets their wingtips when perched; Allen's tail extends past the wings. Female Calliopes also have a paler peachy wash on their sides than female Allen's.
© Kent Leland / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 25, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Hummingbirds(Order: Caprimulgiformes, Family: Trochilidae)
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