Anna's Hummingbird vs Mountain Avocetbill
Calypte anna compared with Opisthoprora euryptera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Mountain Avocetbill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Opisthoprora euryptera |
| 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) | 12.6 cm (5.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 6.4 g (0.23 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of high montane forest; upturned bill tip accesses pendant epiphyte flowers. Gleans small insects … |
| 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.
Mountain Avocetbill
Thin, high-pitched twittering; delicate cascade of light notes with silvery quality delivered during aerial foraging.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Mountain Avocetbill
Found on both Andean slopes in Colombia and Ecuador in cloud forest at 2,000–3,200 m elevation. Uncommon.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Mountain Avocetbill
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
Mountain Avocetbill
Cozumel Emerald: tiny; males with glittering magenta gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; 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.
Mountain Avocetbill
A small hummingbird (10-11 cm) with a distinctive upturned bill tip, unique among hummingbirds. Green plumage. Found in Andean cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia at 2,400-3,500 m. Nectarivore specializing in pendant flowers. The only member of its genus.