Anna's Hummingbird vs Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Calypte anna compared with Coeligena lutetiae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Buff-winged Starfrontlet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Coeligena lutetiae |
| 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) | 15.5 cm (6.1 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 7.025 g (0.25 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Peruvian montane Ericaceae-rich forest. Supplements nectar with small insects and spiders gleaned from … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Anna's Hummingbird only
Buff-winged Starfrontlet only
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.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Deep, hollow churring with resonant character; prolonged buzzing sound vibrating persistently through Andean polylepis.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Found in high Andean cloud forests of Ecuador and Colombia at 2,400–3,600 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Buff-winged 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
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Andean Hillstar: males with iridescent multicolored gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted buff 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.
Buff-winged Starfrontlet
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 2,400-3,500 m. Green plumage with buff-colored wing patches visible in flight. Nectarivore of montane forest and páramo edges.