Anna's Hummingbird vs Snowcap
Calypte anna compared with Microchera albocoronata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Snowcap |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Microchera albocoronata |
| 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) | 8.1 cm (3.2 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 … | Feeds on nectar from low shrubs and forest epiphytes in Central America. Supplements with small … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 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.
Snowcap
High, crystalline notes in bright musical phrase; clear ascending tones cascading smoothly in cheerful display.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Snowcap
Found in humid forests from Honduras to western Panama. Resident in lowland and foothill forest canopy.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Snowcap
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
Snowcap
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.
Snowcap
A tiny hummingbird (6-7 cm) found in humid forests from Honduras to western Panama. Males have a striking white crown cap contrasting with dark purple body, giving the snowcap name. Nectarivore of forest canopy. One of the smallest and most distinctive Central American hummingbirds.