Anna's Hummingbird vs Blue-throated Goldentail
Calypte anna compared with Chlorestes eliciae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Blue-throated Goldentail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Chlorestes eliciae |
| 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) | — |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 3.66 g (0.13 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore visiting diverse flowering plants; supplements the high-sugar nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| 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.
Blue-throated Goldentail
Harsh, nasal chatter with emphatic rhythm; rough buzzy notes delivered rapidly with coarse raw texture.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Blue-throated Goldentail
Found in humid forests from Mexico to Panama. Resident in lowland and foothill forest edges and clearings.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Blue-throated Goldentail
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
Blue-throated Goldentail
Running Coua: pale gray-white below; brown-olive above; blue orbital ring; long graduated tail; ground-dwelling endemic Madagascar
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.
Blue-throated Goldentail
A small hummingbird (8-9 cm) found in humid forests from Mexico to Panama. Green plumage with blue throat and golden tail. Nectarivore of forest edges and clearings. Named goldentail for the glittering golden-bronze tail.