Anna's Hummingbird vs Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Calypte anna compared with Heliomaster squamosus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Stripe-breasted Starthroat |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Heliomaster squamosus |
| 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) | 11.2 cm (4.4 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.75 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Brazilian savanna and forest edges; visits Mimosa and other open-country flowers. Supplements with … |
| 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.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Sharp, whistled descending phrase; clean notes stepping down smoothly with melodic precision in humid forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
Found in semi-arid scrub and caatinga of eastern Brazil from Pará south to Minas Gerais. Sea level to 800 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Stripe-breasted 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
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
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.
Stripe-breasted Starthroat
A medium-sized hummingbird (12-13 cm) found in cerrado and dry forests of eastern and central Brazil. Green plumage with a striped breast and glittering purple throat. Nectarivore of open woodland and garden flowers. A Brazilian near-endemic.