Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin), Hassayampa River Preserve, Maricopa County

This Allen's Hummingbird was found and photographed by Mary McSparen on 07 July 2018

Rare but regular fall migrant in SE Arizona. Few records elsewhere, but due to difficulties in identification probably overlooked. This is the third for Maricopa County

Separation of Rufous and Allen's hummingbirds can be extremely challenging. R2, the second tail feather (rectrix) from the center on each side, is an important distinction between the two species, in that the tip is emarginated more strongly in Rufous, weakly or not at all in Allen's. Other rectrices, especially R4 and R5 (the outer two rectrices), are narrower in Allen's than in Rufous. This adult male shows a green back, which is a characteristic of all adult male Allen's but a minority of adult male Rufous Hummingbirds can also be green backed.

07 July 2018, photo by Mary McSparen

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