Anna's Hummingbird vs Fiery-tailed Awlbill
Calypte anna compared with Avocettula recurvirostris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Fiery-tailed Awlbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Avocettula recurvirostris |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 11.2 cm (4.4 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 4.25 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore with upturned bill tip for accessing pendant Heliconia flowers. Supplements with small insects caught … |
| 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
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.
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
High, bright twittering cascade; light rapid notes tumbling freely in animated vocal sequence during display.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
Found in humid forest edges and clearings from Trinidad and Venezuela east through the Guianas and Amazonian Brazil. 0–600 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
About These Birds
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.
Fiery-tailed Awlbill
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) with a uniquely upcurved, awl-shaped bill. Green plumage with a fiery orange-red tail. Found in humid lowland forests from eastern Venezuela through the Guianas to Amazonia. Nectarivore and insectivore. The only member of its genus.