Anna's Hummingbird vs Racket-tipped Thorntail
Calypte anna compared with Discosura longicaudus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Racket-tipped Thorntail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Discosura longicaudus |
| 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) | 8.6 cm (3.4 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 3.35 g (0.12 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Amazonian forest canopy. Forages at Inga and other legume flowers; supplements with small … |
| 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.
Racket-tipped Thorntail
Melodic, ascending scale of clear notes; bright flute-like tones climbing smoothly, characteristic of morning territorial song.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Racket-tipped Thorntail
Found in humid lowland forest from Colombia and Venezuela east through the Guianas and Amazonian Brazil. 0–600 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Racket-tipped Thorntail
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
Racket-tipped Thorntail
Greenish Puffleg: males brilliant metallic green; glittering blue gorget; white flanks; white leg puffs; females green above with spots
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.
Racket-tipped Thorntail
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm plus long tail rackets in males) found in humid lowland forests from Venezuela through the Guianas and Amazonia. Males have elongated outer tail feathers with distinctive racket-shaped tips. Nectarivore of forest canopy.