Anna's Hummingbird vs Empress Brilliant
Calypte anna compared with Heliodoxa imperatrix
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Empress Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliodoxa imperatrix |
| 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) | 14.6 cm (5.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 8.8 g (0.31 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Colombian Pacific slope cloud forest; forages at Ericaceae and Heliconia. Supplements with small … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| 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.
Empress Brilliant
High, crystalline series of musical notes; clear bright sequence ascending smoothly in characteristically cheerful manner.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Empress Brilliant
Found on the Pacific slope of Colombia and Ecuador in humid lowland and foothill forest. Sea level to 1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Empress 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
Empress Brilliant
Purple-collared Woodstar (alt): tiny; males with brilliant blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; females plain; pale spotted 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.
Empress Brilliant
A large hummingbird (13-14 cm) found in humid forests of western Colombia and Ecuador at 400-1,600 m. Males have an iridescent green crown and violet-blue throat. Nectarivore of Chocó forest. Named Empress for the regal appearance. Classified as Near Threatened.