Anna's Hummingbird vs Black Inca
Calypte anna compared with Coeligena prunellei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Black Inca |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Coeligena prunellei |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Trochilidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| 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) | 7.0 g (0.25 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Colombian Pacific slope cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and bromeliads. Gleans small insects from … |
| 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.
Black Inca
Harsh, scratchy chatter with coarse texture; series of rough notes delivered emphatically near territorial boundaries.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Black Inca
Endemic to the western Andes of Colombia at 1,200–2,400 m. Rare and little-known. Endangered.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Black Inca
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
Black Inca
Glowing Puffleg: tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; glowing green flanks; females green above; spotted
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.
Black Inca
A medium-sized hummingbird (13-14 cm) endemic to the eastern Andes of Colombia at 1,400-2,500 m. Entirely black plumage with iridescent blue shoulders, unique among hummingbirds. Nectarivore of cloud forest undergrowth. Classified as Vulnerable due to limited range.