Anna's Hummingbird vs Gould's Brilliant
Calypte anna compared with Heliodoxa aurescens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Gould's Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliodoxa aurescens |
| 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) | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.975 g (0.21 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forest; aggressively defends Ericaceae patches. Takes small insects 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.
Gould's Brilliant
Soft, pure whistle with tremulous quality; gentle wavering note given quietly from shaded perch in dense thicket.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Gould's Brilliant
Found in Amazonian lowland forest from Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia to Brazil. 0–1,000 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Gould's Brilliant
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
Gould's Brilliant
Black-backed Thornbill (alt): tiny; males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females plain green; spots
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.
Gould's Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in humid lowland forests from eastern Colombia through the Guianas to Bolivia and Brazil. Green plumage with iridescent golden-green breast. Nectarivore of Amazonian forest canopy and edges. Named after John Gould.