Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird vs Anna's Hummingbird

Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

How to recognise a rufous-tailed hummingbird?

General appearance

The Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird measures roughly 10 to 12 cm in length. Primarily bright green, it flaunts a reddish-brown and slightly forked tail, from which it gets its name. A white spot behind each eye adds to its allure. Its bill is straight and noticeably reddish in color.

Male vs female

Males and females are indistinguishable by plumage, both boasting the same vibrant green and reddish-brown tones. However, females may be slightly larger in size. During mating seasons, males perform impressive airborne displays to appeal to females.

Juvenile

Juvenile Rufous-Tailed Hummingbirds sport similar coloration to their adult counterparts, making them difficult to distinguish. They might show a more uneven, fluffier feather arrangement and their tail feathers can be shorter. They gain full adult plumage within several weeks after leaving the nest.

Size

3.5 - 4.3 in/0.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The rufous-tailed hummingbird is predominantly found in Central America to northern South America and prefers tropical and subtropical humid lowland forests.

Additional range

This species can also thrive in heavily degraded habitats, plantations, and gardens.

Range Map

What do rufous-tailed hummingbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The rufous-tailed hummingbird primarily feeds on nectar from a variety of flowering plants, including heliconias, hibiscus, and morning glories. This diet provides them with the necessary sugars for energy. Additionally, they consume small insects and spiders, which offer essential proteins and nutrients for maintaining their health and supporting their high metabolism.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, rufous-tailed hummingbirds are often attracted to sugar-water solutions. These feeders replicate the nectar found in flowers, providing an accessible food source for hummingbirds. The solution typically consists of one part sugar dissolved in four parts water, mimicking the composition of natural nectar. They may also visit feeders targeting other hummingbird species if the sugar concentration is suitable.

What does a rufous-tailed hummingbird sound like?

The Rufous-tailed hummingbird often produces sharp, high-pitched, frequently repeated "tsip" calls primarily used as alarm sounds. Their songs are less common, consisting of a variety of twitters, buzzes, and chirps, usually repeated in sequences. Both the songs and calls are typically made while the bird is in flight.

Song

Audio by Gabriel Leite

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Anna's Hummingbird

Calypte anna

How to recognise an Anna's hummingbird?

General appearance

Feast your eyes on Anna's hummingbirds! These radiant beauties are a vibrant combination of elegant form and stunning color. Their body is adorned with green and grey shades, offering a subtle yet captivating sight. The lower body beams with a light grey-white color, balancing the otherwise rich tones. Despite their relatively small size of about 9cm, they own their presence, darting daringly through the skies.

Male vs female

Males and females of Anna's hummingbirds showcase a delightful color variation. The males steal the spotlight with their breath-taking iridescent crimson-red crowns and throats, shimmering brilliantly in direct sunlight. Their back is metallic green, a perfect contrast to their radiant front. The ladies, on the other hand, adorn a more modest attire of green on top and greyish white underneath. Some females may display a subtle touch of red marking on their throat, adding a dash of secret charm.

Juvenile

The juveniles initially mirror the females in coloration carrying the green-grey theme. But as they grow, the young male Anna's hummingbirds start developing their glamorous red feathers that herald their entry into adulthood. A hint of this transformation is their first indicator of age. Regardless of age, the Anna's hummingbirds keep their vibrant energy, embodying the spirit of free flight throughout their life!

Size

3.7 - 4.1 in/0.1 - 0.2 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

Anna's hummingbird inhabits various biomes including gardens, chaparral, open woods, streamside groves, open oak woodland, and coastal sage scrub. It is typically found in city parks and lower mountain slopes.

Additional range

While the species is most common in lowlands, it can also be found in high mountain meadows during late summer.

Range Map

What do Anna's hummingbirds like to eat?

Natural diet

The Anna's hummingbird primarily feeds on nectar from various flowers. This provides them with the necessary sugars to sustain their high energy lifestyles. In addition to nectar, they also consume tiny insects and spiders, which supply them with essential proteins and other nutrients.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, the Anna's hummingbird is known to enjoy sugar-water mixtures, which mimic the nectar they find in flowers. These feeders are common in gardens and offer an alternative source of food, especially when natural sources are scarce.

What does an Anna's hummingbird sound like?

The vocalizations of the Anna's hummingbird include a sharp chip and a rapid chee-chee-chee-chee-chee pattern. This hummingbird uses a variety of call types such as buzzing, chirping, and high-pitched chipping. Its call patterns are generally flat, yet highly distinctive and identifiable. This unique combination of sounds forms the typical calls and songs of the Anna's hummingbird.

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

Call

Audio by Paul Marvin

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song

Audio by Paul Marvin

/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

There's more to learn about Anna's Hummingbird

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Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird

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Anna's Hummingbird

Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

General appearance

The Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird measures roughly 10 to 12 cm in length. Primarily bright green, it flaunts a reddish-brown and slightly forked tail, from which it gets its name. A white spot behind each eye adds to its allure. Its bill is straight and noticeably reddish in color.

Male vs female

Males and females are indistinguishable by plumage, both boasting the same vibrant green and reddish-brown tones. However, females may be slightly larger in size. During mating seasons, males perform impressive airborne displays to appeal to females.

Juvenile

Juvenile Rufous-Tailed Hummingbirds sport similar coloration to their adult counterparts, making them difficult to distinguish. They might show a more uneven, fluffier feather arrangement and their tail feathers can be shorter. They gain full adult plumage within several weeks after leaving the nest.

Size

3.5 - 4.3 in/0.2 oz

There's more to learn about Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird

View full details

Anna's Hummingbird

Calypte anna

General appearance

Feast your eyes on Anna's hummingbirds! These radiant beauties are a vibrant combination of elegant form and stunning color. Their body is adorned with green and grey shades, offering a subtle yet captivating sight. The lower body beams with a light grey-white color, balancing the otherwise rich tones. Despite their relatively small size of about 9cm, they own their presence, darting daringly through the skies.

Male vs female

Males and females of Anna's hummingbirds showcase a delightful color variation. The males steal the spotlight with their breath-taking iridescent crimson-red crowns and throats, shimmering brilliantly in direct sunlight. Their back is metallic green, a perfect contrast to their radiant front. The ladies, on the other hand, adorn a more modest attire of green on top and greyish white underneath. Some females may display a subtle touch of red marking on their throat, adding a dash of secret charm.

Juvenile

The juveniles initially mirror the females in coloration carrying the green-grey theme. But as they grow, the young male Anna's hummingbirds start developing their glamorous red feathers that herald their entry into adulthood. A hint of this transformation is their first indicator of age. Regardless of age, the Anna's hummingbirds keep their vibrant energy, embodying the spirit of free flight throughout their life!

Size

3.7 - 4.1 in/0.1 - 0.2 oz

There's more to learn about Anna's Hummingbird

View full details

How to tell the Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird from the Anna's Hummingbird

Visual differences

The Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird (4.5-5.5g, 3.5-4.3 in) is primarily bright green with a distinctive reddish-brown, slightly forked tail and a reddish, straight bill. Both genders look similar. Anna's Hummingbird (4-4.5g, 3.5-4.1 in) features green and grey body hues, with males showcasing iridescent crimson-red crowns and throats. Females are green with a greyish-white underside and subtle red on the throat at times. Both species have straight bills, but the color and tail are key differentiators.

Key differences and behavior

The Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird and Anna's Hummingbird exhibit distinct behaviors and habitat preferences despite sharing similarities like diet. Rufous-Tailed Hummingbirds, prevalent across Central America, aggressively dominate feeders but are sociable post-feeding, and inhabit tropical forests, including degraded areas. In contrast, Anna's Hummingbirds are more adaptable to diverse climates, thriving in urban and woodland settings in North America. Rufous-Tailed males perform dynamic flight displays for mating, akin to Anna's males’ aerial dives with a unique explosive sound. Rufous-Tailed females choose shaded nesting spots and raise their young, while Anna's females nest early (as early as December) at varied heights. Both species enjoy nectar and insects but have slightly different territorial behaviors and breeding displays.