Black-hooded Sunbeam vs Anna's Hummingbird
Aglaeactis pamela compared with Calypte anna
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-hooded Sunbeam | Anna's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aglaeactis pamela | Calypte anna |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 13.6 cm (5.4 in) | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 5.5 g (0.19 oz) | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectarivore of Bolivian high-altitude scrub; forages at Chuquiraga and Ericaceae. Catches small insects opportunistically. | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 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
Black-hooded Sunbeam
Deep, resonant churring with hollow quality; prolonged low buzzing trill carrying well through Andean scrub habitat.
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
Black-hooded Sunbeam
Endemic to Bolivia in high Andean puna of Cochabamba and La Paz at 3,200–4,600 m elevation.
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Conservation Status
Black-hooded Sunbeam
Anna's Hummingbird
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-hooded 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
Black-hooded Sunbeam
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) endemic to the Andes of Bolivia at 2,500-3,500 m. Males have a distinctive black hood contrasting with iridescent coppery body. Nectarivore of montane cloud forest edges and scrub. A Bolivian endemic.
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.