Anna's Hummingbird vs Buffy Hummingbird
Calypte anna compared with Leucippus fallax
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Buffy Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Leucippus fallax |
| 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) | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.533333333333334 g (0.20 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore probing tubular flowers in humid forest. Supplements nectar diet with small insects and spiders … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| 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.
Buffy Hummingbird
Thin, sibilant buzz with wavering quality; soft high trill with gentle tremolo near blossoming shrubs.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Buffy Hummingbird
Found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Resident in desert-like coastal environments.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Buffy Hummingbird
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
Buffy Hummingbird
Greater Roadrunner: brown-streaked above; white below with dark streaks; bare blue-red orbital skin; long tail; shaggy crest; runs fast
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.
Buffy Hummingbird
A medium-sized hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in dry scrub and arid habitats of Colombia and Venezuela. Buffy-brown plumage, drab for a hummingbird. Nectarivore of arid scrub, cactus flowers, and gardens. One of the few hummingbirds adapted to dry, desert-like environments.