Anna's Hummingbird vs Japanese White-eye
Calypte anna compared with Zosterops japonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Japanese White-eye |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Zosterops japonicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Zosteropidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2-6 |
| 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.
Japanese White-eye
Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.
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.
Japanese White-eye
Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Japanese White-eye
East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Japanese White-eye
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
Japanese White-eye
Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.
Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill
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.
Japanese White-eye
The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.