Anna's Hummingbird vs Butterfly Coquette
Calypte anna compared with Lophornis verreauxii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Butterfly Coquette |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Lophornis verreauxii |
| 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) | 8.6 cm (3.4 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of humid forest clearings; compact size allows access to small flowers. Gleans 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.
Butterfly Coquette
Buzzy, insect-like trill sustained briefly; continuous high-frequency vibration then sudden silence, disorienting in quality.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Butterfly Coquette
Found on western Andean slope and Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador. Sea level to 1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Butterfly 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
Butterfly Coquette
Amethyst Woodstar: males with glittering teal-blue gorget and amethyst crown; metallic bronze-green above; females green with spots
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.
Butterfly Coquette
A tiny hummingbird (7-8 cm) found in humid forests from Venezuela and Colombia to Peru and Bolivia. Males have wispy green cheek plumes and a white breast band. Nectarivore of forest edges and clearings. Named for the French ornithologists Jules and Edouard Verreaux.