Anna's Hummingbird vs Wandering Albatross
Calypte anna compared with Diomedea exulans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Anna's Hummingbird | Wandering Albatross |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calypte anna | Diomedea exulans |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Trochilidae | Diomedeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 10.0 cm (3.9 in) | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 12.0 cm (4.7 in) | 320.0 cm (126.0 in) |
| Weight | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | 9000.0 g (317.47 oz) |
| Diet | Nectar, small insects, and tree sap. Visits a wide variety of native and ornamental flowering … | Squid, fish, and crustaceans caught from the ocean surface, often at night. Follows fishing vessels … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| 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.
Wandering Albatross
Open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere. Breeds on remote sub-Antarctic islands. Spends years at sea between breeding attempts.
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.
Wandering Albatross
At nesting colonies emits a loud braying 'waaah' and guttural grunts. Silent at sea for most of the year. Courtship involves ritualized mutual bill-clapping and moaning calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Anna's Hummingbird
Western North America from southern British Columbia along the Pacific coast to Baja California. Range has expanded northward.
Wandering Albatross
Southern Ocean circumpolar, breeding on South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Conservation Status
Anna's Hummingbird
Wandering Albatross
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
Wandering Albatross
Adults are mostly white with black trailing edges to the wings. Juveniles are chocolate brown, whitening progressively over 5-10 years. Pink bill and pale feet.
Very large pink bill with a hooked tip and visible tubular nostrils
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.
Wandering Albatross
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to 3.5 meters. These oceanic nomads can circumnavigate the globe, covering over 120,000 km per year using dynamic soaring with minimal wing flapping. Pairs mate for life and may live over 60 years.