ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD

Selasphorus sasin

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The Allen's Hummingbird is a neotropical migrant that can be found on the California coast, where the females build their nests and raise their young during the spring and early summer. There are also resident populations of Allen's in southern California. Like most Hummingbirds, Allen’s are quite vocal and will noisily defend their territory from intrusion by other Hummingbirds. The wings of the male Allen's hummingbird produce an unusual metallic sound when in flight. Allen's feed on flower nectar and supplement their diet with
protein by feeding on a variety of tiny winged insects, plucked from the air by the fast little birds. Allen's "Hawk" for insects. "Hawking" is a term that describes when a bird waits on a branch while watching the air for insects. When the bird sees an insect in the air, it will fly from it's lookout perch, catch the insect and then return to the same perch to wait for another flying insect. In the late summer, the Allen's migrates south to winter in Mexico. They usually return to the northern California coast in late February to early March.

Length : 3 ¾ Inches (10 cm)
Wingspan : 4 ¾ Inches (12 cm)
Weight : 0.1 Ounce (3 g)

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