Anna's Hummingbird vs Wedge-tailed Hillstar
Calypte anna compared with Oreotrochilus adela
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Wedge-tailed Hillstar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Oreotrochilus adela |
| 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) | 13.1 cm (5.2 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 7.8500000000000005 g (0.28 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Andean inter-valley slopes; visits Chuquiraga and scattered shrub flowers. Catches small 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.
Wedge-tailed Hillstar
Deep, resonant buzz with powerful carrying; low-frequency churring trill audible at impressive distance across open land.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Wedge-tailed Hillstar
Endemic to Bolivia and adjacent Peru in high Andean puna and scrub at 2,800–4,400 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Wedge-tailed Hillstar
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
Wedge-tailed Hillstar
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.
Wedge-tailed Hillstar
A medium-sized hummingbird (11-12 cm) endemic to the eastern Bolivian Andes at 2,700-4,200 m. Green plumage with a distinctive wedge-shaped tail. Nectarivore of puna scrub and cloud forest edges. A Bolivian near-endemic with a limited range.