Anna's Hummingbird vs Great Horned Owl
Calypte anna compared with Bubo virginianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Great Horned Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Bubo virginianus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 1400.0 g (49.38 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Anna's Hummingbird only
None
Anna's Hummingbird
Chaparral, coastal sage scrub, gardens, parks, and open woodland along the Pacific coast. One of few hummingbirds not fully migratory.
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
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.
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Great Horned Owl
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
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
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.
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.