Anna's Hummingbird vs Planalto Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Phaethornis pretrei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Planalto Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Phaethornis pretrei |
| 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) | 11.9 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 5.0200000000000005 g (0.18 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 | 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.
Planalto Hermit
Melodic, rising whistle with hopeful quality; smooth ascending note curving upward then briefly hovering before fading.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Planalto Hermit
Endemic to eastern and central Brazil from Piauí and Goiás to Mato Grosso. Found in cerrado and dry forest at 300–800 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Planalto 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
Planalto Hermit
Long-tailed Hermit: rufous below; glossy green crown; broad white supercilium; elongated white-tipped central tail feathers; buff undertail
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.
Planalto Hermit
A medium-sized hermit hummingbird (13-15 cm) found in cerrado, gallery forests, and dry woodlands of central and eastern Brazil. Green upperparts, pale underparts, and rufous rump with long, white-tipped central tail feathers. Named after the French naturalist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire.