Purple-backed Sunbeam vs Anna's Hummingbird
Aglaeactis aliciae compared with Calypte anna
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Purple-backed Sunbeam | Anna's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aglaeactis aliciae | Calypte anna |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 16.2 cm (6.4 in) | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 7.4 g (0.26 oz) | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of restricted Peruvian high puna; visits Chuquiraga and cushion-plant flowers. Gleans tiny arthropods. | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Anna's Hummingbird
Chaparral, coastal sage scrub, gardens, parks, and open woodland along the Pacific coast. One of few hummingbirds not fully migratory.
Song & Call Comparison
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Sharp, buzzy chip followed by rapid trill; emphatic onset launching into rough cascading notes typical of sunbeam.
Anna's Hummingbird
Male produces a complex, scratchy song with buzzy 'dzzzzt' notes. Gives a nasal 'chee-chee-chee'. Males sing year-round, even in winter; one of few hummingbirds with true song.
Geographic Range & Migration
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Endemic to Peru along the Río Marañón drainage in the arid upper Andes. 2,400–3,800 m. Critically endangered.
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Conservation Status
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Anna's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Purple-backed Sunbeam
Anna's Hummingbird
Metallic bronze-green upperparts. Males have an iridescent rose-red crown and gorget. Females have green upperparts with grey underparts and a small red gorget patch.
Medium-length, straight, thin black bill
About These Birds
Purple-backed Sunbeam
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to a small area in the Andes of northern Peru at 2,900-3,500 m. Purple-backed with buff underparts. Nectarivore of montane scrub. Classified as Endangered due to extremely restricted range. One of Peru's rarest hummingbirds.
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's hummingbird is the most common hummingbird along the Pacific coast and one of only three species resident in the United States year-round. Males perform spectacular dive displays, plummeting from 40 meters and pulling up with a loud chirp produced by tail feathers. Their body temperature can drop to near ambient at night to conserve energy.