Anna's Hummingbird vs Cuban Emerald
Calypte anna compared with Riccordia ricordii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Cuban Emerald |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Riccordia ricordii |
| 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) | — |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 3.75 g (0.13 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore of Cuban forest and gardens, visiting diverse native blooms. Takes small insects and spiders … |
| 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.
Cuban Emerald
Buzzy, insect-like trill sustained steadily; continuous rapid vibration with little melodic variation over time.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Cuban Emerald
Found in Cuba, the Bahamas, and occasionally southern Florida. Resident in forests, gardens, and mangroves.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Cuban Emerald
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
Cuban Emerald
Escudo Hummingbird: males with glittering blue-green gorget; metallic green above; white underparts; females green above; spotted
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.
Cuban Emerald
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in Cuba and the Bahamas, with vagrants to Florida. Brilliant iridescent green plumage and white breast. Deeply forked tail. Nectarivore of forest, gardens, and mangroves. Cuba's most common hummingbird.