Anna's Hummingbird vs Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Phaethornis nattereri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Cinnamon-throated Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Phaethornis nattereri |
| 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) | 8.6 cm (3.4 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 following trap-lining routes through Heliconia and Costus flowers. Catches small arthropods for protein. |
| 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.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Pure, sustained whistle with bell-like clarity; single note held steadily then gently fading, given from tall forest perch.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
Endemic to the cerrado and caatinga transition zones of central and northeastern Brazil. Found at 200–800 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Cinnamon-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
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
White-tipped Sicklebill: rufous underparts with white streaking; dark olive-brown above; white lateral crown stripe; pronounced decurved 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.
Cinnamon-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in dry scrubland and gallery forests of central Brazil and eastern Bolivia. Cinnamon-orange throat, green upperparts, and rufous underparts. Nectarivore adapted to cerrado and transition forest habitats.