Allen's Hummingbird
Description
The Allen's hummingbird, also known as the Selasphorus sasin, has a long bill and a compact body. The male Allen's hummingbird has an iridescent green crown and a green back. The only way to tell it apart from the Rufous hummingbird is by the green center of its back. The male's breast is white; the rump and belly are rufous (brownish red), and the gorget (throat) is copper-red. The female is often mistaken for the Rufous hummingbird. She has a green crown, like the male, and she is rufous on her sides. She is white beneath and has small orange-red spots on the throat.
Habitat and Range
The Allen's hummingbird can be found from southern Oregon down to Ventura County—northwest of Los Angeles—along a narrow coastal strip. It is often found in the suburbs and in open woods. Although some stay all year on islands off the coast of California, the Allen's hummingbird migrates for the winter to northwestern Mexico.