Anna's Hummingbird vs Blue-tufted Starthroat
Calypte anna compared with Heliomaster furcifer
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Blue-tufted Starthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliomaster furcifer |
| 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) | 10.8 cm (4.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.7 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of open Argentine and Bolivian habitats; visits diverse shrub flowers. Catches small insects in … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Anna's Hummingbird only
Blue-tufted Starthroat only
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.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Buzzy, insect-like trill with rapid modulation; high-frequency buzz sustained briefly then repeated after pause.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Found from Bolivia and Brazil south to Argentina and Uruguay in open woodland and scrub. Sea level to 1,500 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Blue-tufted Starthroat
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
Blue-tufted Starthroat
Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird: males with brilliant violet gorget; metallic bronze-green; sparkling tail; females green above; spotted
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.
Blue-tufted Starthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in open habitats from Venezuela and the Guianas through Brazil to Argentina. Green plumage with blue throat tufts (males) and a long, forked tail. Nectarivore of savanna, gardens, and forest edges. Widespread in southern South America.