Anna's Hummingbird vs Rainbow Starfrontlet
Calypte anna compared with Coeligena iris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Rainbow Starfrontlet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Coeligena iris |
| 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) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 7.266666666666667 g (0.26 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and mossy shrub flowers. Takes … |
| 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.
Rainbow Starfrontlet
Thin, sibilant trill sustained briefly; continuous high-frequency vibration then silence, barely perceptible in habitat.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Rainbow Starfrontlet
Found in cloud forests of southern Ecuador and northern Peru at 1,800–3,200 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Rainbow Starfrontlet
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
Rainbow Starfrontlet
Purple-backed Sunbeam (alt): males with iridescent purple gorget; metallic green above; purple back; females green above; spotted below
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.
Rainbow Starfrontlet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador at 1,800-3,200 m. Males display rainbow-like iridescence on the forehead, flashing different colors as light angle changes. Nectarivore of montane forest and scrub.