[Matt_RTH]

Hi, trying to confirm this guy. Have several shots but all are at angles that don't help much with id.

The more I look the less I can tell what it is. Could be a juvenile?

Any help appreciated.

[Storm-Petrel]

It looks like a female Calliope to me, could be a juvenile though

[emupilot]

I see alot of rufous on the lower back / rump, so it looks like a young male Selasphorus hummer to me. Assuming you are in the coastal zone, that would be Allen's. Rufous shouldn't be in lowlands this time of year. If the photo is from up in the mountains, it might be hard to tell which it would be.

[jmorlan]

I agree with emupilot. I think it's a Selasphorus, either Rufous or Allen's. There are several features that eliminate Calliope. The lore pattern is wrong. Calliope usually has a white spot in front of the eye penetrating a dark lore stripe. Also Calliope has a very short tail and the wings are longer than the tail on perched birds. Your bird has a tail that is decidedly longer than the wings. Also that

rufous coloration on the back is wrong for Calliope.

As for telling Rufous from Allen's females, I'll leave that to better birders than me.

[Matt_RTH]

Thanks all. Was hoping it was a lifer but a very unusual perspective indeed! It was right near the beach in Palos Verdes.

[emupilot]

Originally Posted by Matt_RTH

Thanks all. Was hoping it was a lifer but a very unusual perspective indeed! It was right near the beach in Palos Verdes.

The Palos Verdes peninsula and the Channel Islands is home to a nonmigratory subspecies of Allen's Hummingbird.

[humminbird]

Definitely a Selasphorous and not a Stelula.