Anna's Hummingbird vs Buff-thighed Puffleg
Calypte anna compared with Haplophaedia assimilis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Buff-thighed Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Haplophaedia assimilis |
| 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) | 11.4 cm (4.5 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.05 g (0.18 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Peruvian montane forest; forages at Ericaceae and bromeliads. Supplements diet with small arthropods. |
| 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.
Buff-thighed Puffleg
Melodic, two-note descending call; pure warm tones stepping down smoothly, given at regular intervals from perch.
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-thighed Puffleg
Found on the eastern Andean slope in Peru in lower montane and foothill forest. 600–2,200 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Buff-thighed 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
Buff-thighed Puffleg
Brown Violetear: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic bronze-green above; violet ear tufts; females green with spotted 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-thighed Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Peru to Bolivia at 1,000-2,500 m. Green plumage with buff-colored leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth and edges. Closely related to Greenish Puffleg. An Andean foothill specialist.