Bird field guide · Hummingbirds

Photographing the Allen's Hummingbird

How to photograph the Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (February, March, April and May).

7–12 cm1/4000 s+ (or 1/250 s with multi-flash to freeze wings)

7–12 cm

Typical length (family range)

1/1000 s

Shutter: perched / still

1/4000 s+ (or 1/250 s with multi-flash to freeze wings)

Shutter: action / flight

f/5.6–f/8

Aperture

21,541

Research-grade sightings in N. America

Recommended camera settings#

ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float

Shutter (still)1/1000 s

Shutter (action)1/4000 s+ (or 1/250 s with multi-flash to freeze wings)

Aperturef/5.6–f/8

FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionPre-focus on a favourite perch or feeder flower and wait; their wings beat 50–80 times a second.

DriveHigh-speed burst

Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 10 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally. Small birds demand long lenses and a close approach — a blind or feeder setup helps.

Distance	⅓ of frame (FF)	½ of frame (FF)	⅓ of frame (APS-C)	⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)	556 mm	796 mm	371 mm	278 mm
10 m (33 ft)	1,112 mm	1,593 mm	741 mm	556 mm
15 m (49 ft)	1,667 mm	2,389 mm	1,112 mm	834 mm
20 m (66 ft)	2,223 mm	3,186 mm	1,482 mm	1,112 mm
30 m (98 ft)	3,335 mm	4,779 mm	2,223 mm	1,667 mm
50 m (164 ft)	5,558 mm	7,965 mm	3,705 mm	2,779 mm

When to find it#

Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: February, March, April and May.

About the Allen's Hummingbird#

Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) is a species of hummingbird. It is a small bird, with mature adults reaching only 3 to 3.5 in (76 to 89 mm) in length. The male has a green back and forehead, with rust-colored rufous flanks, rump, and tail.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

Feeders and nectar flowers create predictable perches.
Iridescent gorgets only glow when the bird faces the light — angle yourself toward the sun.
A 1.4× teleconverter and minimum focus distance matter more than the longest lens.
Pre-focus on a favourite perch or feeder flower and wait; their wings beat 50–80 times a second.
Sightings peak in February, March, April and May, which is when you'll have the most chances.
Tiny subjects: get close with a hide or feeder perch rather than cropping heavily.

Ethics#

The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.