Anna's Hummingbird vs Black-throated Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Phaethornis atrimentalis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Black-throated Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Phaethornis atrimentalis |
| 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) | 7.7 cm (3.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 2.8 g (0.10 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of long-tubed lowland flowers, especially Heliconia. Gleans small insects and spiders from leaf surfaces. |
| 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.
Black-throated Hermit
Buzzy, insect-like trill with rapid modulation; high-frequency buzz sustained briefly then repeated after short pause.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Black-throated Hermit
Found in Amazonian foothills of Ecuador, Peru, and far western Brazil at 200–1,200 m. Uncommon and patchily distributed.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Black-throated Hermit
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
Black-throated Hermit
Pale-tailed Barbthroat: buffy-white underparts; olive-green above; distinct pale buff supercilium; long graduated tail; slightly decurved pink-based bill
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.
Black-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in humid lowland forests from Colombia to Peru and western Brazil. Dark throat patch contrasting with pale underparts. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth, visiting small Heliconia and Costus flowers along forest streams.