Anna's hummingbird Calypte anna

Identification Tips:

• Length: 3.5 inches
• Long, straight, thin bill
• Medium-sized hummingbird
• Green back
• Gray underparts with greenish flanks

Adult male:

• Rosy-red iridescent crown and gorget
• Entirely dark tail

Female/Immature:

• Green crown
• Gray chin and throat with variable amounts of thin dark streaking or rosy red spots depending on age and sex
• Dark tail with white tips on outer tail feathers

Similar species:

Males unmistakable when red crown is seen but beware of poor lighting conditions. Females and immatures are fairly large and gray breasted, and often show the distinctive rosy-red gorget color on the throat. Costa's and the two Archilochus hummingbirds are the most likely identification contenders, but are smaller with whiter breasts and different call notes.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.