#adelomyia | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

expatsecuador · 5 years ago

Text

Where to Find Ecuador’s Brilliant Hummingbirds

Ecuador is the Mecca for hummingbird watchers and photographers. With more than 130 of the world's 340 species, it's no surprise Ecuador is known as the "Land of Hummingbirds" and the hummingbird capital of the world.

Sword Billed Hummingbird photo taken in Ecuador's eastern slope. Photo Andy Morffew

Hummingbirds (colibríes in Spanish) have long fascinated us with their speed, agility, compact size and perfectly adapted beaks and tongues. Many cultures have placed spiritual significance on these pint-sized marvels. The Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, is depicted as a hummingbird because of his belief that hummingbirds contained the spirit of fallen warriors.

Huitzilopochtli the Aztec God of the Sun and War is also known as "Hummingbird of the South"

Christians associate hummingbirds with the resurrection because they appear lifeless when sleeping, but will rapidly fly away and 'resurrect' when then sun rises.

What hummingbirds mean to us

The symbolism that resonates strongest with me is from the Native Americans who view hummingbirds as healers or a spirit-being helping those in need.

You see, we went through a very difficult time with the loss of a loved one and over the next week two events happened:

A sentimental tree was constantly visited by a new hummingbird, and

A female built her nest in a tree located in a prime viewing spot from our living room. Later on her baby joined us too.

These may seem like trivial events. But, at the time they were beautiful moments of reprieve from the persistent despair we were all feeling. For this I was incredibly grateful.

From then on hummingbirds have taken on a very special meaning within our house, elevated to the position of our family symbol.

I've heard similar stories from various friends and read numerous other stories online about similar experiences. This leads me to think there are many people out there that share the same appreciation for hummingbirds on numerous levels, including physical beauty and spiritual.

Where in Ecuador can I find hummingbirds?

Everywhere! Well, except the Galapagos - Darwin certainly would have mentioned these remarkably adapted creatures if so...

This doesn't mean you're going to come across Hummingbird nests on every street in Quito or Guayaquil. But, get a few minutes outside of the city and you can potentially have an encounter.

The cloud forests have the highest concentration of hummingbirds, so that's a great place to start your journey.

The most popular areas for tourists to visit are divided into the eastern & western slopes of the Andes mountain range that runs through Ecuador.

Some of the most popular spots for the eastern and western slopes have been included in the map below (blue = east slope, red = west slope). These are mostly accessible from Quito, but don't think for a second that these are the only places to find hummingbirds in Ecuador - they just happen to be the most popular.

Western Slope of the Ecuadorian Andes

If you're like many visitors to Ecuador, this is likely where you're going to start your hummingbird exploration.

Mindo Valley

Mindo has quickly become one of the premier bird-watching locations in the world. The lush cloud forest provides a rich biodiversity, allowing visitors to see many of Ecuador's birds, plants, insects, vegetation and pack in some other sightseeting activities like chocolate and coffee tours, rafting, ziplining and hiking. All within a 2 hour drive of Quito.

Reserva Ecologica Yanacocha

With over 15 hummingbird species (several endemic), the Reserva Ecologica Yanacocha is well-known for watchers looking for a quick weekend trip from Quito.

It takes around 1 hour to get to Reserva Ecologica Yanacocha from Quito, making it the closest of the western slope locations to do some serious hummer watching.

Tandayapa Valley

At least 17 species of hummingbird have been spotted around the Tandayapa Valley, including the Purple-throated Woodstar (Calliphlox mitchellii) .

Two of the popular spots to bird watch and stay are:

Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve & Lodge

Refugio Paz de Las Aves

Purple-throated Woodstar (Calliphlox mitchellii). Photo Andy Morffew

Reserva Mashpi Shungo

A little further out, about 3 hours from Quito, is the privately held Reserva Mashpi Shungo. In addition to howler monkeys, you can find 13 types of hummingbird, including the Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis).

Whilst here, you can also treat yourself at the luxurious Mashpi Lodge.

Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus Coelestis). Photo Andy Morffew

Silanche Bird Sanctuary

Still around 3 hours from Quito is the Silanche Bird Sanctuary. In addition to several toucans, you can also spy around 7 hummingbird species, including the Booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii).

Booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii). Photo Andy Morffew

Eastern Slope of the Andes Hummingbirds

The eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes starts about an hours drive east of Quito, heading past Papallacta. Hint - be sure to give yourself some time to soak up the hot springs in Papallacta.

Puembo Birding Garden

I've included this spot on the list because it is a convenient starting/stopping off point given its close proximity to Quito's international airport. If your sole aim of visiting Ecuador is bird watching, then staying here will mean you don't need to go into Quito and you can start enjoying some 35+ different species of birds, including several hummingbirds.

Guango Lodge

Situated about 10 minutes past Papallacta is Guango Lodge. Here you can see around 17 types of hummingbirds in well maintained gardens. These include the Mountain Velvetbreast (Lafresnaya lafresnayi).

Mountain Velvetbreast (Lafresnaya lafresnayi). Photo taken in Guango Lodge by Andy Morffew

Hosteria Hda. Cumandá

Continuing along the E20, about 2 hours from Quito is Baeza. This lesser known little town has several options to stay and view the many animal and bird species in the area. Approx 6 types of hummingbirds have been known to live here, including the Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys).

Speckled Hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys). Photo: Andy Morffew

Cosanga

Turning right onto the E45 will have you at Cosanga, around 2.5 hours from Quito. This town includes bird watching options like Cabañas San Isidro. Here, around 10 species of hummingbird have been spotted, including the Sparkling Violet-ear (Colibri coruscans).

Sparkling Violet-ear (Colibri coruscans). Photo: Andy Morffew

WildSumaco Lodge

Continuing down the Ecuador's Eastern Slope, turning left at Narupo onto the E20 for around 40 minutes and then left at Wawa Sumaco towards the Sumaco Volcano, you'll find the most remote lodge on the list - WildSumaco Lodge. This birding lodge has been know to contain 21 species of hummingbird.

Southern Ecuador

Moving further south down the eastern slope you'll pass through other areas such as Baños, Cuenca (where we live) and Loja. Whilst you won't find many bird tour companies offering tours here, that doesn't mean there aren't quality hummingbird spotting opportunities.

Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas)

One of the 5 different species that regularly visit our home in Cuenca is the Giant Hummingbird. We love having him visit us because his large size seems to calm down some of the smaller, but more aggressive, hummingbirds. They seem to know that this larger hummer deserves respect and they agree to give him some space.

This brings a more harmonious vibe to the 3-4 hours in the morning when the hummingbirds are at their busiest and creating the most noise (and we might still be sleeping!). Check out the Giant Hummingbird in this video:

youtube

Where does the Giant Hummingbird live?

The giant hummingbird's habitat extends from Ecuador down to Argentina and Chile and can be found on both slopes of the Andes mountains. This covers a sizeable range of 1,200,000 km2.

How long is the Giant Hummingbird?

They are around 23 cm (9.1 in) long, with a wingspan of approx 21.5 cm (8.5 in) and weigh 18–24 g (0.63–0.85 oz). This is about double the weight of the next heaviest hummingbird.

How many Giant Hummingbirds are left in the world?

There is an estimated 10,000+ adult Giant Hummingbirds in the wild.

All Ecuadorian hummingbird species

For all you hardcore hummer fans, here's the list of all the different species you can find in Ecuador along with their scientific names:

Common name

Scientific name

Common name

Scientific name

Amazilia hummingbird

Amazilis amazilia

Amethyst woodstar

Calliphlox amethystina

Amethyst-throated sunangel

Heliangelus amethysticollis

Andean emerald

Uranomitra franciae

Band-tailed barbthroat

Threnetes ruckeri

Black-bellied thorntail

Discosura langsdorffi

Black-breasted puffleg

Eriocnemis nigrivestis (EM)

Black-eared fairy

Heliothryx auritus

Black-tailed trainbearer

Lesbia victoriae

Black-thighed puffleg

Eriocnemis derbyi

Black-throated brilliant

Heliodoxa schreibersii

Black-throated hermit

Phaethornis atrimentalis

Black-throated mango

Anthracothorax nigricollis

Blue-chested hummingbird

Polyerata amabilis

Blue-chinned sapphire

Chlorestes notata

Blue-fronted lancebill

Doryfera johannae

Blue-headed sapphire

Chrysuronia grayi

Blue-mantled thornbill

Chalcostigma stanleyi

Blue-tailed emerald

Chlorostilbon mellisugus

Blue-throated hillstar

Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus (E-M)

Blue-tufted starthroat

Heliomaster furcifer (H)

Booted racket-tail

Ocreatus underwoodii

Bronze-tailed plumeleteer

Chalybura urochrysia

Bronzy hermit

Glaucis aeneus

Bronzy Inca

Coeligena coeligena

Brown Inca

Coeligena wilsoni

Brown violetear

Colibri delphinae

Buff-tailed coronet

Boissonneaua flavescens

Buff-tailed sicklebill

Eutoxeres condamini

Buff-winged starfrontlet

Coeligena lutetiae

Chestnut-breasted coronet

Boissonneaua matthewsii

Choco daggerbill

Schistes albogularis

Collared Inca

Coeligena torquata

Crowned woodnymph

Thalurania colombica

Ecuadorian hillstar

Oreotrochilus chimborazo

Ecuadorian piedtail

Phlogophilus hemileucurus

Emerald-bellied puffleg

Eriocnemis aline

Empress brilliant

Heliodoxa imperatrix

Esmeraldas woodstar

Chaetocercus berlepschi (EM)

Fawn-breasted brilliant

Heliodoxa rubinoides

Festive coquett

Lophornis chalybeus

Fiery topaz

Topaza pyra

Fiery-tailed awlbill

Avocettula recurvirostris

Fork-tailed woodnymph

Thalurania furcata

Geoffroy's daggerbill

Schistes geoffroyi

Giant hummingbird

Patagona gigas

Glittering-throated emerald

Chionomesa fimbriata

Glowing puffleg

Eriocnemis vestita

Golden-breasted puffleg

Eriocnemis mosquera

Golden-tailed sapphire

Chrysuronia oenone

Gorgeted sunangel

Heliangelus strophianus

Gorgeted woodstar

Chaetocercus heliodor

Gould's jewelfront

Heliodoxa aurescens

Gray-breasted sabrewing

Campylopterus largipennis

Gray-chinned hermit

Phaethornis griseogularis

Great sapphirewing

Pterophanes cyanopterus

Great-billed hermit

Phaethornis malaris

Green hermit

Phaethornis guy

Green thorntail

Discosura conversii

Green-backed hillstar

Urochroa leucura

Green-crowned brilliant

Heliodoxa jacula

Green-fronted lancebill

Doryfera ludovicae

Green-headed hillstar

Oreotrochilus stolzmanni

Greenish puffleg

Haplophaedia aureliae

Green-tailed goldenthroat

Polytmus theresiae (H)

Green-tailed trainbearer

Lesbia nuna

Hoary puffleg

Haplophaedia lugens

Humboldt's sapphire

Chrysuronia humboldtii

Lazuline sabrewing

Campylopterus falcatus

Lesser violetear

Colibri cyanotus

Little sunangel

Heliangelus micraster

Little woodstar

Chaetocercus bombus

Long-billed hermit

Phaethornis longirostris

Long-billed starthroat

Heliomaster longirostris

Long-tailed sylph

Aglaiocercus kingii

Many-spotted hummingbird

Taphrospilus hypostictus

Mountain avocetbill

Opisthoprora euryptera

Mountain velvetbreast

Lafresnaya lafresnayi

Napo sabrewing

Campylopterus villaviscensio

Neblina metaltail

Metallura odomae

Olive-spotted hummingbird

Talaphorus chlorocercus

Pale-tailed barbthroat

Threnetes leucurus

Peruvian sheartail

Thaumastura cora (H)

Pink-throated brilliant

Heliodoxa gularis

Purple-backed thornbill

Ramphomicron microrhynchum

Purple-bibbed whitetip

Urosticte benjamini

Purple-chested hummingbird

Polyerata rosenbergi

Purple-collared woodstar

Myrtis fanny

Purple-crowned fairy

Heliothryx barroti

Purple-throated sunangel

Heliangelus viola

Purple-throated woodstar

Calliphlox mitchellii

Rainbow starfrontlet

Coeligena iris

Rainbow-bearded thornbill

Chalcostigma herrani

Reddish hermit

Phaethornis ruber

Royal sunangel

Heliangelus regalis

Rufous-breasted hermit

Glaucis hirsutus

Rufous-capped thornbill

Chalcostigma ruficeps

Rufous-crested coquette

Lophornis delattrei (H)

Rufous-gaped hillstar

Urochroa bougueri

Rufous-tailed hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

Rufous-throated sapphire

Hylocharis sapphirina

Rufous-vented whitetip

Urosticte ruficrissa

Sapphire-spangled emerald

Chionomesa lactea (H)

Sapphire-vented puffleg

Eriocnemis luciani

Shining sunbeam

Aglaeactis cupripennis

Short-tailed woodstar

Myrmia micrura

Spangled coquette

Lophornis stictolophus

Sparkling violetear

Colibri coruscans

Speckled hummingbird

Adelomyia melanogenys

Spot-throated hummingbird

Thaumasius taczanowskii (H)

Straight-billed hermit

Phaethornis bourcieri

Stripe-throated hermit

Phaethornis striigularis

Sword-billed hummingbird

Ensifera ensifera

Tawny-bellied hermit

Phaethornis syrmatophorus

Tooth-billed hummingbird

Androdon aequatorialis

Tourmaline sunangel

Heliangelus exortis

Tumbes hummingbird

Thaumasius baeri

Turquoise-throated puffleg

Eriocnemis godini

Tyrian metaltail

Metallura tyrianthina

Velvet-purple coronet

Boissonneaua jardini

Violet-bellied hummingbird

Chlorestes julie

Violet-fronted brilliant

Heliodoxa leadbeateri

Violet-headed hummingbird

Klais guimeti

Violet-tailed sylph

Aglaiocercus coelestis

Violet-throated metaltail

Metallura baroni (EM)

Viridian metaltail

Metallura williami

Western emerald

Chlorostilbon melanorhynchus

White-bearded hermit

Phaethornis hispidus

White-bellied woodstar

Chaetocercus mulsant

White-chinned sapphire

Chlorestes cyanus

White-necked jacobin

Florisuga mellivora

White-tipped sicklebill

Eutoxeres aquila

White-vented plumeleteer

Chalybura buffonii

White-whiskered hermit

Phaethornis yaruqui

Wire-crested thorntail

Discosura popelairii

Cell

Are you planning a visit to Ecuador to check out hummingbirds? Please feel free to let us know in the comments where you're going and whether you're doing it by yourself or through a tour group.

Image credits: I have not taken the incredibly superb photos of hummingbirds used in this article. I wish I was that talented with a camera. They are from a UK photographer, Andy Morffew. If you like the photos, let him know on his website & peruse his other fantastic wildlife images.

from Expats Ecuador https://expatsecuador.com/hummingbirds/

0 notes