Anna's Hummingbird vs Black-crested Coquette
Calypte anna compared with Lophornis helenae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Black-crested Coquette |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Lophornis helenae |
| 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) | 7.9 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 2.7 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Central American foothill forest. Defends small flower patches; supplements with tiny arthropods. |
| 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.
Black-crested Coquette
Rapid, mechanical twittering cascade; quick staccato notes tumbling freely in animated sequence above flowering trees.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Black-crested Coquette
Found from southern Mexico through Central America to western Colombia in lowland and foothill forest. 0–1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Black-crested Coquette
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
Black-crested Coquette
Bee Hummingbird: world's smallest bird; males with glittering blue-violet gorget; metallic green above; females plain green above
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.
Black-crested Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7 cm) found in humid forests from southern Mexico through Central America to Belize and Guatemala. Males have an elongated black crest and white tail-band. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth and edges. Uncommon and inconspicuous.