Anna's Hummingbird vs Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Calypte anna compared with Nesophlox lyrura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Lyre-tailed Hummingbird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Nesophlox lyrura |
| 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) | 8.0 cm (3.1 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 2.425 g (0.09 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 | 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.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Sharp, emphatic chip note with metallic quality; single clean staccato sound repeated at measured intervals.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Endemic to Jamaica. Resident in forests and gardens across the island from lowlands to highlands.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Lyre-tailed 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
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph: males with glittering violet gorget; metallic green above; white flanks; females green above; spotted white 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.
Lyre-tailed Hummingbird
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) endemic to Jamaica. Males have a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail. Green plumage. Nectarivore of forest and garden flowers. Recently split from Bahama Woodstar. A Jamaican near-endemic.