Anna's Hummingbird vs Greenish Puffleg
Calypte anna compared with Haplophaedia aureliae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Greenish Puffleg |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Haplophaedia aureliae |
| 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) | 5.666666666666667 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Andean cloud forest; visits Ericaceae and epiphyte flowers in wet mossy habitats. Catches … |
| 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.
Greenish Puffleg
Thin, sibilant twittering with silver quality; high airy notes cascading softly near flowering canopy trees.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Greenish Puffleg
Found on both Andean slopes from Panama south through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 800–2,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Greenish 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
Greenish Puffleg
Sparkling Violetear: males with brilliant iridescent blue gorget; metallic green body; violet ear patch; females green with spots 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.
Greenish Puffleg
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Peru at 900-2,500 m. Green plumage with fluffy white leg puffs. Nectarivore of montane forest understory. Named puffleg for the distinctive cotton-like tufts on the legs.