Anna's Hummingbird vs Gorgeted Sunangel
Calypte anna compared with Heliangelus strophianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Gorgeted Sunangel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliangelus strophianus |
| 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) | 13.2 cm (5.2 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.3999999999999995 g (0.19 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of high Andean shrublands; hovers at dense Ericaceae clumps. Takes small arthropods gleaned from … |
| 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.
Gorgeted Sunangel
High, thin whistle barely perceptible; delicate sustained note hovering near upper frequency limit of human hearing.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Gorgeted Sunangel
Found on the western Andean slope in Colombia and northwestern Ecuador in cloud forest. 1,600–2,800 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Gorgeted 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
Gorgeted Sunangel
Neblina Metaltail: males metallic green above; iridescent violet gorget; white underparts; females green above with pale spotted underparts
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.
Gorgeted Sunangel
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in cloud forests of western Colombia and Ecuador at 1,500-2,500 m. Males have a spectacular iridescent gorget with pink and violet hues. Nectarivore of epiphyte-rich cloud forest. Classified as Endangered due to habitat loss.