Anna's Hummingbird vs Saw-billed Hermit
Calypte anna compared with Ramphodon naevius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Saw-billed Hermit |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Ramphodon naevius |
| 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) | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 7.15 g (0.25 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Primarily nectarivore; bill curvature matches specific flowers; supplements diet by hawking tiny insects. |
| 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.
Saw-billed Hermit
Bright, musical trill with cheerful bubbly quality; quick rolling notes cascading pleasantly from dense flowering vegetation.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Saw-billed Hermit
Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil from Bahia to Santa Catarina. Resident in humid forest up to 1,200 m. Near Threatened.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Saw-billed 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
Saw-billed Hermit
Bronze-green upperparts; underparts rufous-buff with dark brown streaking; broad pale supercilium; rufous-buff tail tipped dark; serrated edge to bill visible at close range; Brazilian Atlantic forest endemic; boldly streaked underparts.
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.
Saw-billed Hermit
A large hummingbird (14-16 cm) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Distinguished by its serrated, saw-like bill unique among hummingbirds. Green plumage with a rufous throat. Nectarivore and insectivore. Classified as Near Threatened due to Atlantic Forest fragmentation.