Anna's Hummingbird vs Gray's Hummingbird
Calypte anna compared with Chrysuronia grayi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Gray's Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Chrysuronia grayi |
| 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) | 5.6499999999999995 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Hovering nectarivore of lowland and montane forest, probing Heliconia and garden flowers. Supplements with insects … |
| 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
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.
Gray's Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip followed by short buzzy trill; clean staccato onset launching into brief rough cascade.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Gray's Hummingbird
Found in western Ecuador. Resident in lowland and foothill forest edges. Limited ecological data available.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Gray's Hummingbird
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
Gray's Hummingbird
Chinese Coucal: dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; winter plumage streaked; Asian coucal
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.
Gray's Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird found in western Ecuador. Green plumage. Nectarivore of lowland and foothill forest edges. Named after George Robert Gray. Sometimes treated as a subspecies. Limited ecological data available.