Anna's Hummingbird vs Green-backed Firecrown
Calypte anna compared with Sephanoides sephaniodes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Green-backed Firecrown |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Sephanoides sephaniodes |
| 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) | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 6.583333333333333 g (0.23 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Nectarivore foraging at diverse temperate-zone flowers in Chile and Argentina, including Fuchsia and Embothrium. Takes … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Anna's Hummingbird only
Green-backed Firecrown only
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.
Green-backed Firecrown
Crisp, whistled descending phrase; clean notes stepping down smoothly with precision and musical elegance at dawn.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Green-backed Firecrown
Found along the length of Chile and western Argentina in temperate forest and scrub. Sea level to 2,000 m. Migratory.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Green-backed Firecrown
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
Green-backed Firecrown
Black Metaltail: males shining green with black-metallic gorget; white postocular stripe; females green above; white-spotted buff 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.
Green-backed Firecrown
A medium-sized hummingbird (10-11 cm) found in temperate forests of southern South America from central Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego. Green plumage with coppery-green crown. The southernmost hummingbird species, tolerating sub-zero temperatures. Nectarivore of native Fuchsia and Embothrium.