How to Identify the Female of the Anna's Hummingbird

The best way to determine which is the female Anna's hummingbird is to look at the color of the throat. The male Anna's throats are much brighter in color than the females. The male displays a shiny, iridescent rose-red throat --- also know as a gorget --- and forehead; on the female's throat, you'll only see tiny red spots. The throat of the male is the most predominant difference, but there are other things to look for that differentiate the male from the female.

Things You'll Need

  • Binoculars
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the breast of the bird. The underside of the female is dull grayish-white. The male Anna's belly is grayish with green spots.

    • 2

      Look at the tail. On the females, the two central tail feathers are a metallic bronze-green; the three outer tail feathers have broad white tips, are black in the center and bronze-green at the base. The male's tail is mostly dark gray and rounded at the tips with two green central tail feathers.

    • 3

      Check the rump. The males have white tufts of feathers on either side of the rump, while the females don't.

    • 4

      Eye the top of the head. The male has an iridescent ruby-red cap, while the top of the female's head is grayish-green.