Anna's Hummingbird vs Glowing Puffleg
Calypte anna compared with Eriocnemis vestita
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Glowing Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Eriocnemis vestita |
| 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) | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 4.716666666666666 g (0.17 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Colombian and Ecuadorian Ericaceae-rich shrublands. Supplements nectar with small arthropods near blooms. |
| 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.
Glowing Puffleg
High, thin chip note with sibilant ending; soft twittering sequence given quietly during foraging near Andean flowers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Glowing Puffleg
Widespread in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1,800–3,400 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Glowing Puffleg
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
Glowing Puffleg
Pink-throated Brilliant: males with iridescent blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; 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.
Glowing Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Peru at 2,400-3,500 m. Bright green plumage with conspicuous white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest and gardens. One of the most common and widespread puffleg species.