Anna's Hummingbird vs Black-throated Brilliant
Calypte anna compared with Heliodoxa schreibersii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Black-throated Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliodoxa schreibersii |
| 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) | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 8.5 g (0.30 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Amazonian foothill forest; visits large-flowered shrubs and epiphytes. Supplements with small arthropods. |
| 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.
Black-throated Brilliant
Buzzy, sustained trill with insect-like monotony; continuous low vibration with minimal variation throughout delivery.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Black-throated Brilliant
Found in lowland and foothill humid forest from Colombia south through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 0–1,400 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Black-throated 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
Black-throated Brilliant
Giant Hummingbird (alt): males with iridescent blue gorget; metallic green; very large; white rump; 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.
Black-throated Brilliant
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) found in humid forests from eastern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru at 300-1,500 m. Males have a black throat patch with green glitter. Nectarivore of foothill forest. Named after the Austrian naturalist Carl von Schreibers.