Anna's Hummingbird vs Green-throated Mountain-gem
Calypte anna compared with Lampornis viridipallens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Green-throated Mountain-gem |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Lampornis viridipallens |
| 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) | 12.7 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.540000000000001 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Mexican highland forest; visits Salvia and other forest-edge flowers. Catches small insects in … |
| Clutch Size | 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.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Rapid, mechanical twittering; quick staccato notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above flowering canopy.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Found in highland forest from southern Mexico through Guatemala and Honduras. 1,000–2,800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Green-throated Mountain-gem
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
Green-throated Mountain-gem
Volcano Hummingbird: males with glittering ruby gorget varying by subspecies; metallic green above; females green above; 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.
Green-throated Mountain-gem
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) endemic to the highlands of Guatemala and southern Mexico at 1,200-3,000 m. Males have a green throat patch. Nectarivore of cloud forest and pine-oak forest edges. A Central American highland endemic.