Anna's Hummingbird vs Dusky-throated Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Phaethornis squalidus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Dusky-throated Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Phaethornis squalidus |
| 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) | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 3.0 g (0.11 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Feeds mainly on floral nectar, hovering at flowers; catches small arthropods for protein, especially during … |
| 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.
Dusky-throated Hermit
Soft, flowing trill with liquid quality; gentle modulation of tone creating pleasant musical effect in humid forest shade.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Dusky-throated Hermit
Found in southeastern Brazil in the Atlantic Forest from Bahia south to São Paulo. Resident in dense humid forest up to 1,200 m.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Dusky-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
Dusky-throated Hermit
Tiny; green-bronze upperparts; pale buff underparts; dusky grey-brown throat contrasting with paler belly; pale supercilium; white-tipped elongated central tail feathers; small hermit with distinctively darkened throat region.
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.
Dusky-throated Hermit
A small hermit hummingbird (9-10 cm) found in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Dusky throat with fine streaking, green upperparts, and rufous underparts. Nectarivore of forest undergrowth. Visits small flowers of Costus and Heliconia. An Atlantic Forest endemic.