Anna's Hummingbird vs Purple-throated Sunangel
Calypte anna compared with Heliangelus viola
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Purple-throated Sunangel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliangelus viola |
| 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) | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.433333333333333 g (0.19 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore strongly associated with Ericaceae in treeline habitats. Catches small insects on the wing for … |
| 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.
Purple-throated Sunangel
Soft, liquid warbling with gentle character; mellow notes flowing easily in quiet musical phrase at forest edge.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Purple-throated Sunangel
Found in Andean cloud forests of southern Ecuador and northern Peru at 1,600–3,000 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Purple-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
Purple-throated Sunangel
Peruvian Metaltail: males with iridescent violet gorget; metallic green back; very long bill; females green above; 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.
Purple-throated Sunangel
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Andean cloud forests from Ecuador to Peru at 1,800-3,200 m. Males have a deep purple-violet throat gorget. Green plumage. Nectarivore of montane forest edges, particularly partial to flowering Ericaceae shrubs.