Anna's Hummingbird vs Orange-throated Sunangel
Calypte anna compared with Heliangelus mavors
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Orange-throated Sunangel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliangelus mavors |
| 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) | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 4.15 g (0.15 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of montane Ericaceae and epiphyte flowers. Supplements nectar with small arthropods gleaned 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.
Orange-throated Sunangel
Rapid, mechanical clicking trill; quick staccato notes strung evenly in dry sequence typical of swift species.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Orange-throated Sunangel
Endemic to the eastern Andes of Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in cloud forest. 1,800–2,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Orange-throated Sunangel
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
Orange-throated Sunangel
Giant Hummingbird: bronze-green above; rufous-buff underparts; white rump patch; pale supercilium; largest hummingbird; monomorphic
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.
Orange-throated Sunangel
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in cloud forests of Venezuela and Colombia at 1,500-3,000 m. Males have an iridescent orange throat gorget. Green plumage. Nectarivore of montane forest undergrowth and edges. An Andean highland specialist.