Anna's Hummingbird vs Mexican Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Phaethornis mexicanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Mexican Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Phaethornis mexicanus |
| 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) | 13.4 cm (5.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 4.5 g (0.16 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore adapted to curved corolla flowers via trap-lining. Supplements nectar with small spiders caught near … |
| 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.
Mexican Hermit
Rapid, buzzy trill rising in pitch; ascending cascade of rough notes gaining speed and urgency before abrupt stop.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Mexican Hermit
Endemic to northwestern Mexico in Sinaloa, Jalisco, and Nayarit in dry tropical forest. Sea level to 1,200 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Mexican 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
Mexican Hermit
Fiery-topaz: brilliant iridescent fiery-orange crown disc; violet-blue gorget; metallic green back; females with orange-rufous crown patch
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.
Mexican Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-14 cm) endemic to the Pacific slope of western Mexico from Nayarit to Oaxaca. Green plumage with buff underparts and long, white-tipped tail. Nectarivore of tropical dry and humid forests. Recently split from Long-billed Hermit.